The People of Freedom

Il Popolo della Libertà ( PdL short, The German People of Freedom ) was the name of a political party in Italy, which was created from the merger of Forza Italia and the National Alliance and smaller parties in 2009. Founder was Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. On his own initiative, the last named by several spin-offs weakened PdL on November 16, 2013 again in Forza Italia to.

Formation

After the two largest parties in the Italian center-left camp had joined forces in the fall of 2007 to the Partito Democratico suggested Berlusconi to leaven the parties to the former coalition Casa delle Libertà in a single political force of the center right. However, all three major alliance partners ( the National Alliance, Lega Nord and UDC ) against the native resolution spoke out.

The project was therefore put on hold. After the fall of the Prodi government and in view of the early parliamentary elections, the project of a common party was quickly revived. Silvio Berlusconi and Gianfranco Fini announced on 8 February 2008 that Forza Italia and the National Alliance compete with the common list Popolo della Libertà and Lega Nord with its own list would form a coalition with them. The UDC confirmed your opposition to Berlusconi's project and also did not perform any coalition.

Political scientists arranged the party to the movements of populism. In its special development, which was heavily influenced by the interests of the founder and chairman Berlusconi, was also spoken by Berlusconi.

Election 2008

The electoral program of the party, Rialzati, Italia! ( " Rise again, Italy " ), was created in seven points ( in this order): revive growth; Support families; more security; more justice; Services to citizens; the South; federalism; extraordinary measures for the public budget. Further points were the abolition of the community property tax on primary residence and the preferred taxation of overtime.

In the parliamentary elections on 13 and 14 April 2008 were able to record a victory per l' Autonomia PdL and its allied Northern League and Movimento. 46.81 % of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies or 47.32 % in the Senate ensured the coalition a clear majority in parliament. The Popolo della Libertà alone could collect 37.39 % and 38.17%.

The road to independent party

After the electoral victory in 2008 a unified group has been constituted in Parliament, the deputies and senators of Forza Italia, National Alliance, and other small parties involved. The People of Freedom was still not an independent party, especially since the founding parties had retained their independence until further notice.

On 21 November 2008, Silvio Berlusconi finally announced the dissolution of his old party, Forza Italia. The National Alliance took their resolution on March 22, 2009. Only five days later, the founding of the party Popolo della Libertà at the congress in Rome was officially sealed ( from 27 to 29 March). The People of Freedom became a full-fledged party.

The original party anthem of the Popolo della Libertà was dedicated to Berlusconi and was entitled Luckily, there are Silvio. Three months after Berlusconi's departure as prime minister, the new anthem People of Freedom was presented. In the parliamentary elections 2013 the anthem was sung Silvio Luckily there.

Founder parties

The following parties were part of the founding committee of the Popolo della Libertà and are now all merged in it:

• Forza Italia (64 ) ( resolution on 21 November 2008)
• National Alliance (33) ( resolution on 22 March 2009)
• Christian Democrats per le autonomy ( 3)
• Popolari liberalization ( 3)
• Nuovo Partito Socialista Italiano (2)
• Azione Sociale ( 1)
• Riformatori liberalization ( 1)
• Italiani nel Mondo ( 1)
• Federazione dei Cristiano and Popular ( 1)
• Destra Libertaria ( 1)

The movement Per la Liguria later also became part of the PdL ( For Liguria).

Other parties, such as the Pensioners' Party ( Partito Pensionati ) and the Republicans originally wanted to go up in the collecting party, have but then decided for their independence. The Liberaldemocratici have also remained independent, their most prominent member, Italy's former Prime Minister Lamberto Dini is, however, converted to PdL.

Weighting within the PdL

After the formation of the Unity Party of Popolo della Libertà, an effort was made in filling important offices a balance between the two great founding member of Forza Italia (FI) and the National Alliance (AN) to preserve.

To the President of the Senate, Italy's second-highest official after the president, was after the parliamentary elections in 2008 Renato Schifani ( FI), President of the Chamber of Deputies, the third highest dignitaries, was Gianfranco Fini (AN) selected. Group Chairman of the PdL in the Chamber of Deputies was Fabrizio Cicchitto (FI ), while in the Senate, Maurizio Gasparri (AN) in the chair.

In Berlusconi IV Cabinet the balance looked like this:

• Former Forza Italia ( FI): Prime Minister, twelve ministers and undersecretaries 17
• Former National Alliance (AN): four ministers and eight undersecretaries
• Former Christian Democrats per le autonomy ( DCA): a minister

Political origin

Many members of the Popolo della Libertà were politically active in the days of the so-called First Republic. According to their origin, they could be divided into three major groups:

• Socialists: These were already active in the Partito Socialista Italiano and occupy important positions in the party or in the government; Giulio Tremonti ( former Minister of Finance, and later from the party exiting) Franco Frattini ( former foreign minister, and later from the party exiting) Maurizio Sacconi (former Labour and Social Affairs ) had already book the party of PSI.
• Christian: Former party members of the Christian Democrats, such as Claudio Scajola (formerly Minister of Economic Development ), Angelino Alfano (formerly Minister of Justice ) and the former President of the Lombardy Region Roberto Formigoni.
• Nationalists: They were active in the Movimento Sociale Italiano, which later became the National Alliance of Gianfranco Fini. Even Alessandra Mussolini ( who had in the meantime established the Azione Sociale ) is one of them.

In addition, members of the defunct Liberal Partito Italiano such as former Defense Minister Antonio Martino and former Justice Minister Alfredo Biondi had their home in the PdL, as well as former Radicali Italiani, as Daniele Capezzone ( party spokesman ).

Political currents

Officially, there were no currents ( correnti ) within the PdL. Nevertheless, there was the party associated organizations and foundations that represent partly different positions.

• Rete Italia, a Christian Democratic Club, the Communion and Liberation close positions represented: Roberto Formigoni, Maurizio Lupi and the MEP Mario Mauro belonged to this flow.
• Riformismo e Libertà, Fabrizio Cicchitto, a former socialists.
• Italia Protagonista, Maurizio Gasparri from.
• Promotori della Libertà, Sandro Bondi and Michela Vittoria Brambilla.
• Task Force Italia, Franco Frattini (who resigned from the party later).
• ResPublica, Giulio Tremonti ( of a new party founded ).
• Nuova Italia, Gianni Alemanno, Mayor of Rome.
• Destra - PdL, by Domenico Nania.
• Nostra Destra, Ignazio La Russa ( of a new party founded ).

• The vast majority was united behind Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi ( Berlusconiani );
• A minority held the positions of President of the Chamber Fini ( Finiani ).

Spin-offs

Between the founding fathers of the PdL, Berlusconi and Fini, there were several violent political and personal squabbles. Gianfranco Fini represented in ethical and immigration issues a liberal course and distanced itself from alliance partner Lega Nord. He also repeatedly criticized Berlusconi " Caesarean " leadership style and his "attacks" against the institutions.

The disagreements led in July / August 2010 to a spin-off of the trailer Finis (including Italo Bocchino, Benedetto Della Vedova, Adolfo Urso ). They founded their own in Parliament Fractions containing the names Futuro e Libertà per l' Italia ( Future and Freedom for Italy). In the Chamber of Deputies for the time being joined by 34 MPs ( and Fini ) of the new faction in the Senate ten. Futuro e Libertà per l' Italia became an independent party, but had only a small inlet. Some parliamentarians announced the membership and reappeared at the PdL or other parties.

Former Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti resigned after disagreements with Berlusconi from the PdL and founded the list work and freedom, which took together with the Northern League in the general elections of 2013.

Centrodestra Nazionale (Brothers of Italy - - center-right National), led by Ignazio La Russa and the former Youth Minister Giorgia Meloni In advance of the 2013 parliamentary elections, a new party split in agreement with the tip of the PdL from Fratelli d' Italia.

PdL in regions, provinces, municipalities

Last is the PdL the regional presidents in four regions: Abruzzo, Campania, Calabria and Sardinia. In addition, the party is involved in the regional governments of Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto, where the Northern League presented the President.

At the provincial and municipal elections in the spring of 2009, was elected in 62 provinces and numerous communities to PdL and its allies were able to maintain. Before choosing only twelve provinces of center-right coalitions were governed, after that it was 34

In the local elections in 2012, the first after the fall of the fourth Berlusconi government, the party had to suffer a defeat. Of the 26 provincial capitals, where was elected, the party could only hold six. In the stronghold of Palermo, where the party ruled so far, the PdL candidate came to only 12 % of the vote. In the local elections in 2013, the PdL subject to, among other things in Rome.

PdL in the EU Parliament

In the legislative period 2004-09 Forza Italia and the National Alliance were represented with a total of 27 deputies in the different fractions, namely European People's Party and the Alliance for a Europe of Nations.

In the European elections in Italy in 2009 the PdL could reach 35.26 % of the vote and was with 29 deputies after the German CDU meantime the second most powerful member of the European People's Party, on a par with the French Union pour un mouvement populaire. Eight MEPs have since left the PdL.

Election 2013

In the parliamentary elections of 2013 the PdL had about a third of the votes of 2008 and came lose in the Chamber of Deputies to 21.56 %, in the Senate to 22.30 %. Within a grand coalition with the Democratic Party and the civil list Scelta Civica PdL took part in the Cabinet Letta, where the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior ( Angelino Alfano ) and the traffic ( Maurizio Lupi ), agriculture ( Nunzia De Girolamo ) health ( Beatrice Lorenzin ) and Reform Minister ( Gaetano Quagliariello ) presented.

Renamed Forza Italia and cleavage of the Nuovo Centrodestra

On October 25, 2013 PdL Berlusconi had declared that his party now again Forza Italia had the same name. Given the already simmering conflicts of the party chairman Angelino Alfano and his ministerial colleagues in the Cabinet Letta announced, nor shall this decision. Cleavage is indicated as already clear on.

To clarify a party congress was convened at which, however, Alfano and his government colleagues, as announced in advance, did not attend. About 800 of the remaining party members decided on November 16, 2013 nevertheless for a fresh start under the old name. Berlusconi is quoted: "I am happy that we have returned to this name that we all still have the heart. Forza Italia "

In the evening Alfano presented his new party Nuovo Centrodestra, was attributed in addition to the five PdL ministers a total of 30 of the 98 senators and 27 of the 97 deputies in the Chamber of Deputies, enough to keep the ruling majority even without Forza Italia.