Free Democrats (Italy)
Encyclopedia
The Free Democrats were the centrist
faction within the Democratic Party
(PD), a political party in Italy, around Francesco Rutelli, former leader of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, one of the two main parties that merged to form the PD in 2007.
The faction was launched by Rutelli in June 2009 during a convention in Rome
.
The group comprised both liberals
and Christian democrats
who wanted the PD to be modelled on the example of the United States Democratic Party
and consider social democracy
as obsolete in the 21st century. In fact the followers of Rutelli, the so-called Rutelliani
, included both the secular-liberal faction of the late DL (Paolo Gentiloni
, Ermete Realacci and his group of ecologists, Linda Lanzillotta, Gianni Vernetti
, Roberto Giachetti, etc.), who represented the more free market-oriented wing of the PD, and the socially conservative Theo-Dems (Paola Binetti
, Luigi Bobba, Enzo Carra, Donato Mosella, etc.), who were on the right of the party on moral issues. As told, there was also a group of ecologists from Legambiente, the largest environmentalist association n Italy (Realacci, Roberto Della Seta, Francesco Ferrante, etc.).
This heterogeneity reflected the political trajectory of Rutelli, who entered politics as a Radical, then joined the Greens
and finally became a devout Catholic and politically a centrist. Rutelli thus considered himself as a bridge between liberals and Christian democrats, and his conservative stances on advance health care directive, stem cell research
and civil union
s did not stop him from having a profitable dialogue with secularists and even with his former political godfather Marco Pannella
, undisputed leader of the Italian Radicals
.
During Walter Veltroni
's leadership of the party, some Rutelliani (such as Gentiloni and Realacci) seemed to distance from Rutelli, who was taking a more conservative approach. Moreover some of them even took part to the foundation of other factions, such as Liberal PD
(Gentiloni, Lanzillotta, Vernetti, etc.) and the Democratic Ecologists
(Realacci, Della Seta, Ferrante, etc.), also because Rutelli decided not to organize his faction after the 2007 Democratic Party leadership election
. However, after Veltroni's departure from party leadership, Rutelli was able to rally again all his followers within the Free Democrats.
In the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election
the faction supported Dario Franceschini
as party leader. In the aftermath of the election, which saw the victory of Pier Luigi Bersani
, Francesco Rutelli and a large portion of the faction left the party in order to set up an independent party, Alliance for Italy
. The faction thus ceased to exist. In September 2010 the former Rutelliani remained in the PD joined Veltroni's Democratic Movement
.
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...
faction within 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....
(PD), a political party in Italy, around Francesco Rutelli, former leader of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, one of the two main parties that merged to form the PD in 2007.
The faction was launched by Rutelli in June 2009 during a convention 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...
.
The group comprised both liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and Christian democrats
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
who wanted the PD to be modelled on the example of the United States 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...
and consider social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
as obsolete in the 21st century. In fact the followers of Rutelli, the so-called Rutelliani
Rutelliani
Rutelliani refers to the group around Francesco Rutelli, a former leading member of the Democratic Party, a political party in Italy, and later leader of Alliance for Italy...
, included both the secular-liberal faction of the late DL (Paolo Gentiloni
Paolo Gentiloni
Paolo Gentiloni is an Italian politician, member of the Daisy—Democracy is Freedom party and currently the Italian Minister of Communications.-Biography:He is a professional journalist and has a degree in political sciences....
, Ermete Realacci and his group of ecologists, Linda Lanzillotta, Gianni Vernetti
Gianni Vernetti
-Early life:Vernetti was born in Torino, Italy. In 1985 he obtained a degree in Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Torino. In 1987 he was awarded a PhD in Urban Ecology from the Politecnico di Milano university.-Career:...
, Roberto Giachetti, etc.), who represented the more free market-oriented wing of the PD, and the socially conservative Theo-Dems (Paola Binetti
Paola Binetti
Paola Binetti is an Italian Deputy who belonged to the Democratic Party before 2010. Now she belongs the Union of the Centre.-Biography:Binetti was born in Rome...
, Luigi Bobba, Enzo Carra, Donato Mosella, etc.), who were on the right of the party on moral issues. As told, there was also a group of ecologists from Legambiente, the largest environmentalist association n Italy (Realacci, Roberto Della Seta, Francesco Ferrante, etc.).
This heterogeneity reflected the political trajectory of Rutelli, who entered politics as a Radical, then joined the Greens
Federation of the Greens
The Federation of the Greens is a green political party in Italy, which includes also a large eco-socialist faction. Since 2009 the party leader is Angelo Bonelli.-Early years:...
and finally became a devout Catholic and politically a centrist. Rutelli thus considered himself as a bridge between liberals and Christian democrats, and his conservative stances on advance health care directive, stem cell research
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
and civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
s did not stop him from having a profitable dialogue with secularists and even with his former political godfather Marco Pannella
Marco Pannella
Giacinto Pannella, better known as Marco Pannella is an Italian politician.He is the historic leader of the Italian Radicals...
, undisputed leader of the Italian Radicals
Italian Radicals
Italian Radicals is an Italian political party which describes itself as a liberale, liberista e libertario political movement .It was...
.
During Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
's leadership of the party, some Rutelliani (such as Gentiloni and Realacci) seemed to distance from Rutelli, who was taking a more conservative approach. Moreover some of them even took part to the foundation of other factions, such as Liberal PD
Liberal PD
The Liberal PD is a social-liberal faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.It was launched on 26 January 2008 by Senator Enzo Bianco , former Minister Franco Bassanini , Senator Valerio Zanone and Senator Enrico Morando The Liberal PD (Liberal PD) is a social-liberal...
(Gentiloni, Lanzillotta, Vernetti, etc.) and the Democratic Ecologists
Democratic Ecologists
The Democratic Ecologists are a green faction within the Italian Democratic Party .Its leaders are Ermete Realacci and Fabrizio Vigni and its composed by both former members of the Democrats of the Left and Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy The Democratic Ecologists (Ecologisti Democratici,...
(Realacci, Della Seta, Ferrante, etc.), also because Rutelli decided not to organize his faction after the 2007 Democratic Party leadership election
Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2007
The 2007 Democratic Party leadership election was held on 14 October 2007 in order to elect the first leader of the Democratic Party, the largest political party in Italy at the time. The election was conducted as an open primary, with all Italian citizens aged at least 16 and non-Italian legal...
. However, after Veltroni's departure from party leadership, Rutelli was able to rally again all his followers within the Free Democrats.
In the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election
Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2009
The 2009 Democratic Party leadership election was held in July–November 2009 following the resignation of Walter Veltroni in February 2009, after 16 months as secretary of the Democratic Party , the second-largest political party in Italy....
the faction supported Dario Franceschini
Dario Franceschini
Dario Franceschini is an Italian lawyer, writer, and politician, who served as the second leader of the Democratic Party. He has been a prominent member of the Italian People's Party , of the Daisy and the first Deputy Secretary of the Democratic Party...
as party leader. In the aftermath of the election, which saw the victory of Pier Luigi Bersani
Pier Luigi Bersani
Pier Luigi Bersani is an Italian politician and the current Secretary of the Democratic Party of Italy, the main center-left political party in Italy . He was Minister of Industry, Commerce and Craftmanship from 1996 to 1999, Minister of Transports from 1999 to 2001, and Minister of Economic...
, Francesco Rutelli and a large portion of the faction left the party in order to set up an independent party, Alliance for Italy
Alliance for Italy
Alliance for Italy is a centrist political party in Italy.The party, which is described in its manifesto as "democratic, liberal, popular" as opposed both to "right-wing populism" and the "social-democratic left, an experience with high and memorable value, yet by now run out", was launched on 11...
. The faction thus ceased to exist. In September 2010 the former Rutelliani remained in the PD joined Veltroni's Democratic Movement
Democratic Movement (Italy)
Democratic Movement is a faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.At the 2009 leadership election Dario Franceschini was defeated by Pier Luigi Bersani...
.