Italian general election, 1996 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

An early national general election was held in 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...

on 21 April, 1996 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies

Italian Chamber of Deputies

The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...

and the Senate of the Republic

Italian Senate

The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...

. The Olive Tree coalition leader Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...

won the election, narrowly defeating 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 led the Pole for Freedoms

Pole for Freedoms

The Pole for Freedoms was an electoral alliance of centre-right political parties in Italy, which was active from 1996 to 2001. It included Forza Italia, the National Alliance, Christian Democratic Centre and the United Christian Democrats....

coalition.

For the election, the Lega Nord of Umberto Bossi

Umberto Bossi

Umberto Bossi is an Italian politician, leader of the Northern League, a party seeking autonomy or independence for Northern Italy. He is married to Manuela Marrone and has four sons ....

ran alone, after having left the Berlusconi I Cabinet

Berlusconi I Cabinet

The Berlusconi I Cabinet was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 10 May 1994 to January 17, 1995.It was composed of 26 ministers and 38 under-secretaries, for a total of 64 members.Composition of the government:...

in 1994, causing a crisis who drove President of Italy Oscar Luigi Scalfaro

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro , Italian politician and magistrate, was the ninth President of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1999, and is currently a senator for life...

to appoint a technocratic cabinet led by Lamberto Dini, which in turn lost its Parliamentary support in 1995, forcing Scalfaro to dissolve the Italian Parliament. The Communist Refoundation Party

Communist Refoundation Party

The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....

, led by Fausto Bertinotti

Fausto Bertinotti

Fausto Bertinotti is an Italian politician and former leader of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista. On April 29, 2006, after the center-left coalition's victory in the Italian general election, he was chosen by the new parliament as President of the Chamber of Deputies .-Trade...

, instead made a pre-electoral alliance

Electoral alliance

An electoral alliance may take the form of a bipartisan electoral agreement, electoral agreement, electoral coalition or electoral bloc. It is an association of political parties or individuals which exists solely to stand in elections...

with The Olive Tree, presenting its own candidates, supported by Prodi's coalition, mainly in some safe leftist constituencies, in exchange for supporting Olive Tree candidates on the other ones, and ensuring external support for a Prodi government.

Electoral system

The intricate electoral system of Italy, nicknamed as Mattarellum (after Sergio Mattarella

Sergio Mattarella

Sergio Mattarella is an Italian politician.-Life:Mattarella was born in Palermo . He is son of Bernardo Mattarella and brother of Piersanti Mattarella, both politician into Democrazia Cristiana....

, who was the official proponent), provided a 75% of the seats on the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House) as elected by a plurality voting system

Plurality voting system

The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...

, whereas the remaining 25% was assigned by proportional representation

Proportional representation

Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...

with a minimum threshold of 4%.
If possible, the method associate on the Senate was even more complicated: 75% of seats by uninominal method, and 25% by a special proportional method that actually assigned the remaining seats to minority parties.

Chamber of Deputies

Democratic Party of the Left

The Democratic Party of the Left was a post-communist, democratic socialist political party in Italy.-History:...

|align="center"|7,894,118
|align="center"|21.1
|align="center"|26

|rowspan="4" align="center"|38
|rowspan="4" align="center"|285

|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|PPI-SVP

South Tyrolean People's Party

The South Tyrolean People's Party is a regionalist Christian democratic political party active in the Italian province of South Tyrol.Founded in 1945, the SVP represents the German-speaking population of the province, as well as Ladin speakers. Since the first election of the Provincial Council in...

-PRI

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...

-UD

Democratic Union (Italy)

The Democratic Union was a small social-liberal party in Italy.It was founded in 1996 by Antonio Maccanico , Willer Bordon and Giorgio Benvenuto, both members of Democratic Alliance...

-Prodi

Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...

|align="center"|2,554,072
|align="center"|6.8
|align="center"|4

|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|Dini List (RI

Italian Renewal

The Italian Renewal was a liberal-centrist political party in Italy.It was founded in 1996 by Lamberto Dini along with some former Liberals, Socialists, Christian Democrats, Republicans and Social Democrats...

-SI

Italian Socialists

The Italian Socialists were a minor social-democratic political party in Italy active in Italy from 1994 to 1998....

-Patto

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...

)
|align="center"|1,627,380
|align="center"|4.3
|align="center"|8

|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|Federation of 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:...

Pole for Freedoms

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....

|align="center"|7,712,149
|align="center"|20.6
|align="center"|37

|rowspan="3" align="center"|77
|rowspan="3" align="center"|246

|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|National Alliance

National Alliance (Italy)

National Alliance was a conservative political party in Italy.Gianfranco Fini was the leader of the party since its foundation in 1995, however he stepped down in 2008 after being elected to the nominally non-partisan post of President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and was succeeded by...

|align="center"|5,870,491
|align="center"|15.7%
|align="center"|28

|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|CCD-CDU

United Christian Democrats

The United Christian Democrats was a Christian democratic party in Italy.-History:It began in 1995 by a split of those members of the Italian People's Party who wanted to enter into an alliance with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia...

Communist Refoundation Party

The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....

Presented itself as 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 ;...

|rowspan="1" align="center"|1,000,501
|rowspan="1" align="center"|2.7
|rowspan="1" align="center"|15

|rowspan="1" align="left"|Communist Refoundation Party

Communist Refoundation Party

The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....

South Tyrolean People's Party

|rowspan="1" align="center"|156,708
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1.0
|rowspan="1" align="center"|3

|rowspan="1" align="left"|-
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|-

|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|3
|-
!rowspan="1" bgcolor="brown"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Vallée d'Aoste

Valdotanian Union

The Valdotanian Union is a regionalist-centrist Italian political party active in Aosta Valley. Its leaders are Ego Perron, party president, and Augusto Rollandin, President of the Region....

|rowspan="1" align="center"|37,431
|rowspan="1" align="center"|0.1
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1

|rowspan="1" align="left"|-
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|-

|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|-
!rowspan="1" bgcolor="#CC6699"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Southern Action League

Southern Action League

The Southern Action League is a regionalist national-conservative Italian political party active in Apulia and especially in the Province of Taranto....

Southern Action League

The Southern Action League is a regionalist national-conservative Italian political party active in Apulia and especially in the Province of Taranto....

Pannella List

Pannella List was a strongly libertarian Radical electoral list active in the 1990s in Italy. Its long-standing leader and standard-bearer was Marco Pannella, who had been the historical leader of the Radical Party from 1963 to 1989....

Pannella List

Sardinia Nation

Sardinia Nation is a minor separatist and democratic-socialist political party in Sardinia, Italy. Its leader is Bustianu Cumpostu.-History:...

Sardinia Nation

Sardinia Nation is a minor separatist and democratic-socialist political party in Sardinia, Italy. Its leader is Bustianu Cumpostu.-History:...

|align="center"|23,355
|align="center"|0.1
|align="center"|-

|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|-
!rowspan="1" bgcolor="white"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Others
|rowspan="1" align="center"|502,463
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1.3
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-

|rowspan="1" align="left"|-
|align="center"|570,102
|align="center"|1.3
|align="center"|-

|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-

|}

Senate

Pole of Freedoms

The Pole of Freedoms was a centre-right electoral alliance in Italy, launched at the 1994 general election by Silvio Berlusconi.The alliance was composed primarily of Forza Italia and the Lega Nord, but also included Christian Democratic Centre and the Union of the Centre...

|align="center"|12,185,020
|align="center"|37.3%
|align="center"|67
|align="center"|49
|align="center"|116
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="green"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Lega Nord
|rowspan="1" align="center"|3,394,733
|rowspan="1" align="center"|10.4%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|18
|rowspan="1" align="center"|9
|rowspan="1" align="center"|27
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="red"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Communist Refoundation Party

Communist Refoundation Party

The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....

South Tyrolean People's Party

|rowspan="1" align="center"|178,425
|rowspan="1" align="center"|0.5%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|2
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|2
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="black"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Tricolour Flame
|rowspan="1" align="center"|747,487
|rowspan="1" align="center"|2.3%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="yellow"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Pannella-Sgarbi List

Pannella List

|rowspan="1" align="center"|509,826
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1.6%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="brown"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Vallée d'Aoste

Valdotanian Union

The Valdotanian Union is a regionalist-centrist Italian political party active in Aosta Valley. Its leaders are Ego Perron, party president, and Augusto Rollandin, President of the Region....

|rowspan="1" align="center"|29,538
|rowspan="1" align="center"|0.1%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1
|-
|rowspan="1" bgcolor="white"|
|rowspan="1" align="left"|Others
|rowspan="1" align="center"|1,193,923
|rowspan="1" align="center"|3.7%
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-
|rowspan="1" align="center"|-

|}

External links

Minister of Internal Affairs of Italy: 1996 Election Results, Chamber of Deputies (compressed ZIP file) Minister of Internal Affairs of Italy: 1996 Election Results, Senate of the Republic (compressed ZIP file)

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