Nichi Vendola
Encyclopedia
Nicola "Nichi" Vendola is an Italian
left-wing
politician and currently the President of Apulia.
, province of Bari
(Puglia), Vendola had been a member of the Italian Communist Youth Federation
since the age of 14; he studied literature
in university, presenting a dissertation
about the controversial poet
and film director
Pier Paolo Pasolini
. Vendola then went on to become a journalist for l'Unità
, and a leading member of the Italian gay organisation Arcigay
.
A member of the National Secretariat of the Italian Communist Party
, he fiercely opposed the dissolution of the party proposed by Achille Occhetto
in 1991, which lead to the formation of the Democratic Party of the Left
. Vendola instead joined the Communist Refoundation Party
.
In 1992 Vendola was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, to a seat which he held until 2005. As a member of the Antimafia Commission
, he came to prominence as a strong opponent of the Mafia and organised crime.
In 2005, Vendola ran for the first primary election
ever held in Italy, held by the centre-left
coalition The Union
to choose their candidate for the presidency of the Apulia
region. He won the primary over the rival Francesco Boccia. Many moderates in the alliance criticised the choice, since it appeared impossible that a communist
and homosexual
could be elected president of a southern Italian region such as Apulia, generally considered to be conservative
and strongly Catholic. Vendola, though, declares himself as "believer" (in the line of Pax Christi
): he once said that "the most important book for a communist like me is the Bible".
In the regional election in Apulia, held in April 2005, he narrowly defeated the outgoing president Raffaele Fitto
, candidate for the centre-right
coalition the House of Freedoms
, thus becoming the first member of the Communist Refoundation Party to be elected as president of any Italian region.
Vendola is also a poet: some of his poems have been collected in a book, named L'ultimo mare ("The last sea"). His figure has inspired a biographical film, Nichi.
Vendola was one of the two major candidates running for the place of Chairman of the Communist Refoundation party in the July 2008 congress, but lost to an alliance led by the other major candidate, Paolo Ferrero
, formerly Minister for Social Solidarity in the Prodi II Cabinet
. Following the defeat, Vendola's supporters have renounced to all positions as party executives. On 24 January 2009, at Chianciano Terme, Vendola split from Communist Refoundation and founded the Movement for the Left
. In December 2009, Vendola became the first leader of the newly-founded party Left Ecology Freedom, which the Movement for the Left had fully merged into.
In late 2009 his candidacy for re-election was put under question by his centre-left allies from the Democratic Party
, who asked him to step down in order to allow the choice of a candidate able to achieve wider support from other political parties, namely the Christian-democratic Union of the Centre. After Vendola refused to step down, chances of having a new primary election quickly increased, and, after some weeks of heated debate, they were ultimately called for 24 January 2010, with Francesco Boccia once again running as Vendola's challenger, supported by the Democratic Party. Vendola easily won the election with more than 67% of the votes, being therefore picked again as leader of the centre-left coalition, and went on to defeat centre-right candidate Rocco Palese by a wide margin.
In July 2010, during a general congress of the so-called "Factories of Nichi", Mr. Vendola announced his candidacy for the Primary Elections of the Italian centre-left, to be held in 2012 to appoint the challenger of Berlusconi in the 2013 Italian general elections. Following his candidacy, the Democratic Party judged sharply his candidacy, while nationwide polls show Vendola winning either over Democratic Party Secretary Pier Luigi Bersani
, and Silvio Berlusconi
, the incumbent Prime Minister 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...
left-wing
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
politician and currently the President of Apulia.
Life
Born in TerlizziTerlizzi
Terlizzi is a town and comune in Apulia, Italy, in the province of Bari, to the west of the city of Bari, situated in the midst of a fertile plain. As of 2008, its population was some 27,400.-History:...
, province of Bari
Province of Bari
The Province of Bari is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bari.It has an area of 5,138 km², and a total population of 1,594,109 . There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bari...
(Puglia), Vendola had been a member of the Italian Communist Youth Federation
Italian Communist Youth Federation
The Italian Communist Youth Federation was the youth wing of the Partito Comunista Italiano , and the direct heir of the Federazione Giovanile Comunista d'Italia of the PCd'I.-History:...
since the age of 14; he studied literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
in university, presenting a dissertation
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
about the controversial poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
. Vendola then went on to become a journalist for l'Unità
L'Unità
l'Unità is an Italian left-wing newspaper, originally founded as official newspaper of the Italian Communist Party.-History:L'Unità was founded by Antonio Gramsci on 12 February 1924, as the newspaper of workers and peasants, the official newspaper of Italian Communist Party : it was printed in...
, and a leading member of the Italian gay organisation Arcigay
Arcigay
Arcigay is Italy's first and largest national gay organization.The association was first founded as a local association in Palermo in 1980, then nationally established in Bologna in 1985.. The organisation became known throughout Italy for its campaign for civil unions...
.
A member of the National Secretariat of the Italian Communist Party
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...
, he fiercely opposed the dissolution of the party proposed by Achille Occhetto
Achille Occhetto
Achille Occhetto , nicknamed Akel, is an Italian political figure.-Biography:Occhetto was born in Turin. He served as the secretary-general of the Italian Communist Party between 1988 and 1994 Achille Occhetto (born 3 March 1936), nicknamed Akel, is an Italian political figure.-Biography:Occhetto...
in 1991, which lead to the formation of the 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:...
. Vendola instead joined the Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
.
In 1992 Vendola was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, to a seat which he held until 2005. As a member of the Antimafia Commission
Antimafia Commission
The Italian Antimafia Commission is a bicameral commission of the Italian Parliament, composed of members from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate . The Antimafia Commission is a commission of inquiry into, initially, the “phenomenon of the Mafia”...
, he came to prominence as a strong opponent of the Mafia and organised crime.
In 2005, Vendola ran for the first primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
ever held in Italy, held by the 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...
coalition The Union
The Union (political coalition)
The Union was an centre-left coalition of political parties in Italy. It was led by Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy from April 2006 to April 2008, and former President of the European Commission.-Parties:...
to choose their candidate for the presidency of the Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
region. He won the primary over the rival Francesco Boccia. Many moderates in the alliance criticised the choice, since it appeared impossible that a communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
could be elected president of a southern Italian region such as Apulia, generally considered to be conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and strongly Catholic. Vendola, though, declares himself as "believer" (in the line of Pax Christi
Pax Christi
-History:Pax Christi was established in France in 1945 as a reconciliation work between the French and the Germans after the Second World War. In 2007, it existed in more than 60 countries...
): he once said that "the most important book for a communist like me is the Bible".
In the regional election in Apulia, held in April 2005, he narrowly defeated the outgoing president Raffaele Fitto
Raffaele Fitto
Raffaele Fitto is an Italian politician, current Minister for Regional Business in Berlusconi IV Cabinet.-Biography:Raffaele Fitto was born in Maglie, Province of Lecce. His father, Salvatore Fitto, who was an exponent of the Christian Democracy and President of Apulia from 1985, died in...
, candidate for the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
coalition 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...
, thus becoming the first member of the Communist Refoundation Party to be elected as president of any Italian region.
Vendola is also a poet: some of his poems have been collected in a book, named L'ultimo mare ("The last sea"). His figure has inspired a biographical film, Nichi.
Vendola was one of the two major candidates running for the place of Chairman of the Communist Refoundation party in the July 2008 congress, but lost to an alliance led by the other major candidate, Paolo Ferrero
Paolo Ferrero
Paolo Ferrero is an Italian politician, member of the Communist Refoundation Party and former Italian Minister of Social Solidarity in the Prodi II Cabinet.-Career:...
, formerly Minister for Social Solidarity in the Prodi II Cabinet
Prodi II Cabinet
The Prodi II Cabinet was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008, a total of 722 days, or 1 year, 11 months and 21 days...
. Following the defeat, Vendola's supporters have renounced to all positions as party executives. On 24 January 2009, at Chianciano Terme, Vendola split from Communist Refoundation and founded the Movement for the Left
Movement for the Left
Movement for the Left was a socialist and communist political party in Italy, emerged by a split from the Communist Refoundation Party...
. In December 2009, Vendola became the first leader of the newly-founded party Left Ecology Freedom, which the Movement for the Left had fully merged into.
In late 2009 his candidacy for re-election was put under question by his centre-left allies from 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....
, who asked him to step down in order to allow the choice of a candidate able to achieve wider support from other political parties, namely the Christian-democratic Union of the Centre. After Vendola refused to step down, chances of having a new primary election quickly increased, and, after some weeks of heated debate, they were ultimately called for 24 January 2010, with Francesco Boccia once again running as Vendola's challenger, supported by the Democratic Party. Vendola easily won the election with more than 67% of the votes, being therefore picked again as leader of the centre-left coalition, and went on to defeat centre-right candidate Rocco Palese by a wide margin.
In July 2010, during a general congress of the so-called "Factories of Nichi", Mr. Vendola announced his candidacy for the Primary Elections of the Italian centre-left, to be held in 2012 to appoint the challenger of Berlusconi in the 2013 Italian general elections. Following his candidacy, the Democratic Party judged sharply his candidacy, while nationwide polls show Vendola winning either over Democratic Party Secretary 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...
, and 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...
, the incumbent Prime Minister of Italy
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
.