Democratic Initiative (Italy)
Encyclopedia
Democratic Initiative is a coalition of small political parties in Italy
.
It was launched on 11 October 2008 by Clemente Mastella
and Publio Fiori
, respectively leaders of UDEUR Populars and the Christian Democratic Refoundation
. The coalition, which describes itself as a "network", is aimed at representing those centrist parties which lost representation in the Italian Parliament in the 2008 general election
or never gained such representation.
DI can be seen as an evolution of the Christian Democratic Federation
(FDC), but in this occasion Mastella and Fiori decided to open the coalition also to all the centrists, the conservatives, the liberals and the social democrats who wanted to participate.
Although the participating parties and groups are very different one from each other, they are nostalgic of the First Republic and oppose what they call the two-party system
between The People of Freedom
and the Democratic Party
. As most of these parties and groups are rooted in Southern Italy, they generally oppose the introduction of any form of federalism
, despite proposing a new kind of politics based on a bottom-top approach and an alliance between local independent citizen' lists and seeking to represent primarily a part of Italy
, the South.
At its founding convention, Democratic Initiative gathered in Rome
politicians representing many small parties, including notably the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
, the Italian Liberal Party
, the Party of Christian Democracy
, the Christian Democratic Party
, The Italian Socialists and many others. During the convention, some speakers hinted that Pier Ferdinando Casini
could become the leader of such a centrist movement with its Union of the Centre (UdC) and in fact some participating parties are also close to UdC.
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...
.
It was launched on 11 October 2008 by Clemente Mastella
Clemente Mastella
Mario Clemente Mastella is an Italian politician. He is currently leader of Popular-UDEUR, a minor centrist Italian party. He was Minister of Labour in the Berlusconi government from 10 May 1994 to 17 January 1995, and Minister of Justice in the Prodi government from 17 May 2006 to 17 January 2008...
and Publio Fiori
Publio Fiori
Publio Fiori is an Italian politician.-Career:Fiori was born in Rome and graduated in jurisprudence. He became a member of Democrazia Cristiana , to which he belonged for much of his political career....
, respectively leaders of UDEUR Populars and the Christian Democratic Refoundation
Christian Democratic Refoundation
Christian Democratic Refoundation is a minor Christian-democratic political party in Italy.It was founded in October 2006 as a split of the Christian Democracy for Autonomies and is led by Publio Fiori, a former right-wing Christian Democrat and, later, leading member of National Alliance from...
. The coalition, which describes itself as a "network", is aimed at representing those centrist parties which lost representation in the Italian Parliament in the 2008 general election
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
or never gained such representation.
DI can be seen as an evolution of the Christian Democratic Federation
Christian Democratic Federation
The Christian Democratic Federation is a federation of Christian democratic political parties in Italy.Originally, an accord was signed between four parties on 30 November 2006:...
(FDC), but in this occasion Mastella and Fiori decided to open the coalition also to all the centrists, the conservatives, the liberals and the social democrats who wanted to participate.
Although the participating parties and groups are very different one from each other, they are nostalgic of the First Republic and oppose what they call the two-party system
Two-party system
A two-party system is a system where two major political parties dominate voting in nearly all elections at every level of government and, as a result, all or nearly all elected offices are members of one of the two major parties...
between The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom
The People of Freedom is a centre-right political party in Italy. With the Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties of the current Italian party system....
and the 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....
. As most of these parties and groups are rooted in Southern Italy, they generally oppose the introduction of any form of federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
, despite proposing a new kind of politics based on a bottom-top approach and an alliance between local independent citizen' lists and seeking to represent primarily a part of Italy
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...
, the South.
At its founding convention, Democratic Initiative gathered in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
politicians representing many small parties, including notably the Italian Democratic Socialist Party
Italian Democratic Socialist Party
The Italian Democratic Socialist Party is a minor social-democratic political party in Italy. Mimmo Magistro is the party leader. The PSDI, before the 1990s decline in votes and members, had been an important force in Italian politics, being the longest serving partner in government for Christian...
, the Italian Liberal Party
Italian Liberal Party
The Italian Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Italy.-Origins:The origins of liberalism in Italy came from the so-called "Historical Right", a parliamentary group formed by Camillo Benso di Cavour in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia following the 1848 revolution...
, the Party of Christian Democracy
Party of Christian Democracy
The Party of Christian Democracy , whose members actually call it simply Christian Democracy , is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party....
, the Christian Democratic Party
Christian Democratic Party (Italy)
The Christian Democratic Party is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party.It was founded in 2000 by Flaminio Piccoli, Clelio Darida, Carlo Senaldi and Alfredo Vito as the electoral arm of the Rebirth of Christian Democracy...
, The Italian Socialists and many others. During the convention, some speakers hinted that Pier Ferdinando Casini
Pier Ferdinando Casini
Pier Ferdinando Casini is an Italian politician.-Biography:President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006...
could become the leader of such a centrist movement with its Union of the Centre (UdC) and in fact some participating parties are also close to UdC.