Liberal Populars
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Populars was a Christian-democratic
Italian political party that is currently a faction within the larger The People of Freedom
(PdL).
and Emerenzio Barbieri, who wanted closer ties with Silvio Berlusconi
's Forza Italia
and the other parties of the House of Freedoms
coalition, including the Lega Nord. In the III national congress the candidacy of Giovanardi for the leadership was supported by the 13.8% of delegates. During a convention in Verona
titled "Liberal Populars of UDC in the centre-right" (Popolari Liberali dell'UDC nel centrodestra), on 3–4 October 2007 Carlo Giovanardi
named the faction "Liberal Populars", saying that the group may leave if UDC leaves the House of Freedoms.
When, on 18 November 2007, Berlusconi proposed the birth of The People of Freedom
party, Giovanardi suddenly hinted that he may leave UDC and join the new party. That finally happened on 4 February 2008, citing that the 72% of UDC voters would be interested in voting the PdL. Soon after his decision and that of UDC to fight alone the election, many leading members of UDC, including Vito Bonsignore
, Tomaso Zanoletti, Luigi Compagna, Giuseppe Galati, Francesco Lucchese, Alfredo Meocci and Francesco Massi, left to join Giovanardi, along with Riccardo Conti, previously switched to Middle-of-the-Road Italy
.
On 3 April 2008, during a meeting in Milan
, DCA announced an alliance within the new party with the Christian Democracy for Autonomies of Gianfranco Rotondi
.
In the 2008 general election
the party got two deputies and two senators elected to the Italian Parliament. Carlo Giovanardi joined the Berlusconi IV Cabinet
as Under-Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office.
In 2009 the party was merged into the PdL and was converted into a faction.
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...
Italian political party that is currently a faction within the larger 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....
(PdL).
History
The party emerged as a faction within the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC) in February 2007 and took the current name in October of that year. It is the group led by Carlo GiovanardiCarlo Giovanardi
Carlo Amedeo Giovanardi is an Italian politician and member of the Parliament..-Political career:He graduated in jurisprudence, and did his military service in the Carabinieri...
and Emerenzio Barbieri, who wanted closer ties 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...
'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....
and the other parties of the House of Freedoms
House of Freedoms
The House of Freedoms , was a major Italian centre-right political and electoral alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi. It was initially composed of several political parties:*Forza Italia *National Alliance...
coalition, including the Lega Nord. In the III national congress the candidacy of Giovanardi for the leadership was supported by the 13.8% of delegates. During a convention in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
titled "Liberal Populars of UDC in the centre-right" (Popolari Liberali dell'UDC nel centrodestra), on 3–4 October 2007 Carlo Giovanardi
Carlo Giovanardi
Carlo Amedeo Giovanardi is an Italian politician and member of the Parliament..-Political career:He graduated in jurisprudence, and did his military service in the Carabinieri...
named the faction "Liberal Populars", saying that the group may leave if UDC leaves the House of Freedoms.
When, on 18 November 2007, Berlusconi proposed the birth of 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....
party, Giovanardi suddenly hinted that he may leave UDC and join the new party. That finally happened on 4 February 2008, citing that the 72% of UDC voters would be interested in voting the PdL. Soon after his decision and that of UDC to fight alone the election, many leading members of UDC, including Vito Bonsignore
Vito Bonsignore
Vito Bonsignore is an Italian politician andMember of the European Parliamentfor North-Westwith the Cristiani Democratici Uniti, part of the European People's Party and...
, Tomaso Zanoletti, Luigi Compagna, Giuseppe Galati, Francesco Lucchese, Alfredo Meocci and Francesco Massi, left to join Giovanardi, along with Riccardo Conti, previously switched to Middle-of-the-Road Italy
Middle-of-the-Road Italy
Middle-of-the-Road Italy was an Italian centrist political grouping founded in 2006 by Marco Follini, Senate member and former leader of the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats , and Riccardo Conti, member of the Chamber of Deputies...
.
On 3 April 2008, during a meeting in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, DCA announced an alliance within the new party with the Christian Democracy for Autonomies of Gianfranco Rotondi
Gianfranco Rotondi
Gianfranco Rotondi is an Italian politician, and the current leader of the Christian Democracy for Autonomies since June 2005.- Biography :Rotondi was born in Avellino, Campania....
.
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...
the party got two deputies and two senators elected to the Italian Parliament. Carlo Giovanardi joined the Berlusconi IV Cabinet
Berlusconi IV Cabinet
Berlusconi IV Cabinet has been the cabinet of the government of Italy from 8 May 2008 to 16 November 2011.As of July 2011, it was composed of 24 ministers, 4 deputy ministers and 39 under-secretaries, for a total of 67 members.-Sources:*...
as Under-Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office.
In 2009 the party was merged into the PdL and was converted into a faction.