Democratic Alliance (Italy)
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Alliance was an Italian
political party
founded in 1993, with the intent of becoming the container of an alliance of centre-left
forces. However, the project did not succeed, and it presented itself as a minor party, mainly composed of former Republicans
and former Communists
. Its leader was Willer Bordon.
AD was aimed at reforming the centre-left, uniting in a single bloc both the centrists
of the Patto Segni
and the post-communist Democratic Party of the Left
, and transforming it in an "Italian Democratic Party
", modelled on the Democratic Party
of the United States
. The party took very liberal
stances on the economy, proposed a shake-up of the Italian political system and was very critical to the perceived statism
of the Italian left.
After an unremarkable result (1.2%) at the 1994 general election
, due to the uneasy alliance with the left-wing Alliance of Progressives
instead of with Silvio Berlusconi
, who had embraced most of AD 's policies, its members entered the left-wing and later centre-left coalitions, with the notable exceptions of Ferdinando Adornato
and Giulio Tremonti
, both currently members of Berlusconi's Forza Italia
. However, Tremonti switched to the Patto Segni in 1994 and Adornato left politics in 1996, before joining Forza Italia.
In 1996 the party evolved into the Democratic Union with the entry of other Republicans such as Antonio Maccanico, and some Socialists
including Giorgio Benvenuto.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in 1993, with the intent of becoming the container of an alliance of centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
forces. However, the project did not succeed, and it presented itself as a minor party, mainly composed of former Republicans
Italian Republican Party
The Italian Republican Party is a liberal political party in Italy.The PRI is party with old roots that originally took a left-wing position, claiming descent from the political position of Giuseppe Mazzini...
and former Communists
Italian Communist Party
The Italian Communist Party was a communist political party in Italy.The PCI was founded as Communist Party of Italy on 21 January 1921 in Livorno, by seceding from the Italian Socialist Party . Amadeo Bordiga and Antonio Gramsci led the split. Outlawed during the Fascist regime, the party played...
. Its leader was Willer Bordon.
AD was aimed at reforming the centre-left, uniting in a single bloc both the centrists
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
of the Patto Segni
Patto Segni
Patto Segni was a Christian-democratic and liberal political party in Italy, named after Mario Segni.-History:The party was founded in 1993 as a split from Democratic Alliance and as the continuation of the Populars for the Reform, a split from Christian Democracy in 1992, whose principal aim was...
and the post-communist Democratic Party of the Left
Democratic Party of the Left
The Democratic Party of the Left was a post-communist, democratic socialist political party in Italy.-History:...
, and transforming it in an "Italian Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Italy)
The Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Italy, that is the second-largest in the country. The party is led by Pier Luigi Bersani, who was elected in the 2009 leadership election....
", modelled on the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The party took very liberal
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
stances on the economy, proposed a shake-up of the Italian political system and was very critical to the perceived statism
Statism
Statism is a term usually describing a political philosophy, whether of the right or the left, that emphasises the role of the state in politics or supports the use of the state to achieve economic, military or social goals...
of the Italian left.
After an unremarkable result (1.2%) at the 1994 general election
Italian general election, 1994
An early national general election was held in Italy on March 27, 1994 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right alliance won handily the election for the Chamber and only narrowly lost that for the Senate....
, due to the uneasy alliance with the left-wing Alliance of Progressives
Alliance of Progressives
The Alliance of Progressives was a left-wing electoral coalition in Italy in 1994.It was composed of:*the Democratic Party of the Left ;*the Communist Refoundation Party ;...
instead of with Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi , also known as Il Cavaliere – from knighthood to the Order of Merit for Labour which he received in 1977 – is an Italian politician and businessman who served three terms as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. Berlusconi is also the...
, who had embraced most of AD 's policies, its members entered the left-wing and later centre-left coalitions, with the notable exceptions of Ferdinando Adornato
Ferdinando Adornato
Ferdinando Adornato is an Italian politician. He is a member of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats .-Life:He graduated with a degree in philosophy...
and Giulio Tremonti
Giulio Tremonti
Giulio Tremonti is an Italian politician. He served in the government of Italy as Minister of Economy and Finance under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2004, from 2005 to 2006, and from 2008 to 2011....
, both currently members of Berlusconi's Forza Italia
Forza Italia
Forza Italia was a liberal-conservative, Christian democratic, and liberal political party in Italy, with a large social democratic minority, that was led by Silvio Berlusconi, four times Prime Minister of Italy....
. However, Tremonti switched to the Patto Segni in 1994 and Adornato left politics in 1996, before joining Forza Italia.
In 1996 the party evolved into the Democratic Union with the entry of other Republicans such as Antonio Maccanico, and some Socialists
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party was a socialist and later social-democratic political party in Italy founded in Genoa in 1892.Once the dominant leftist party in Italy, it was eclipsed in status by the Italian Communist Party following World War II...
including Giorgio Benvenuto.