Federalist Italian League
Encyclopedia
The Federalist Italian League (Lega Italiana Federalista, LIF) was a short-lived federalist
and liberal
Italian political party.
(who had been secretary of Lega Lombarda
until 9 January), Enrico Hüllwech and Giorgio Vido
. Under the leadership of they elected Sergio Cappelli federal coordinator of the party during a founding convention in Genoa
. They had left the party of Umberto Bossi
in disagreement with his decision to bring down Berlusconi I Cabinet
in December 1994. At its maximum strength LIF had more than 30 MPs.
At that time Lega Nord was split between those who supported the new course of the party and those who wanted to continue the alliance with Silvio Berlusconi
's Forza Italia
. Among the latter figured also Roberto Maroni
, Minister of Interior
under Berlusconi and number two of the party. The decision of Bossi led him to leave resign from Parliament on 11 February. LIF members hoped that Maroni would have joined their party (to become its leader) and tried to convince him to run as their candidate for the post of President of Lombardy
. Contrarily to what most people expected, Maroni never left Lega Nord and returned to active politics in July.
This was a hard blow for Negri and his followers which led many of them to switch to the Federalist Union
(UF) of Gianfranco Miglio
or the Federalists and Liberal Democrats
(FLD), led by Furio Gubetti and Raffaele Costa
(leader of the Union of the Centre). On 14 July the party's group in the Chamber of Deputies
was reduced to a sub-group within the Mixed Group. On 20 December most members of LIF, including Luigi Negri, joined FLD.
In the 1996 general election
, when Lega Nord, despite the several splits had its best result ever (10.1% nationally), Luigi Negri was elected to the Chamber and soon joined Forza Italia along with what remained of UF, FLD and FLD. He later left also this party to join the Italian Republican Party
and thus the centre-left
coalition supporting Romano Prodi's government
. Among the other leading members of LIF, Enrico Hüllwech was elected Mayor of Vicenza
in 1998 for Forza Italia, while Giorgio Vido
was a leader of Fronte Marco Polo
and Liga Veneta Repubblica.
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
and liberal
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,...
Italian political party.
History
The party was founded by dissident members of Lega Nord on 13 February 1995, including Luigi NegriLuigi Negri
Luigi Negri was an Italian double bass virtuoso of the romantic era. Known mostly during his lifetime as a conductor of opera, Negri's reputation as a double bassist has long been overshadowed by his contemporary, Giovanni Bottesini....
(who had been secretary of Lega Lombarda
Lega Lombarda
Lega Lombarda is a regionalist political party active in Lombardy. Led by Giancarlo Giorgetti, the party is the second largest in the region....
until 9 January), Enrico Hüllwech and Giorgio Vido
Giorgio Vido
Giorgio Vido is an Italian Venetist politician. Elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies for the Liga Veneta-Lega Nord, Link title he left the party in 1994....
. Under the leadership of they elected Sergio Cappelli federal coordinator of the party during a founding convention in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. They had left the party 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 ....
in disagreement with his decision to bring down 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 December 1994. At its maximum strength LIF had more than 30 MPs.
At that time Lega Nord was split between those who supported the new course of the party and those who wanted to continue the alliance 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....
. Among the latter figured also Roberto Maroni
Roberto Maroni
Roberto Maroni is an Italian politician from Varese. He is a member of the Northern League political movement. Since 1992 he is a Member of the Chamber of Duputies of the Italian Republic, always elected in Lombardy's districts and costituencies...
, Minister of Interior
Italian Minister of the Interior
This is a list of Italian Ministers of the Interior since 1861.-Kingdom of Italy:-Italian Republic:...
under Berlusconi and number two of the party. The decision of Bossi led him to leave resign from Parliament on 11 February. LIF members hoped that Maroni would have joined their party (to become its leader) and tried to convince him to run as their candidate for the post of President of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
. Contrarily to what most people expected, Maroni never left Lega Nord and returned to active politics in July.
This was a hard blow for Negri and his followers which led many of them to switch to the Federalist Union
Federalist Party (Italy)
The Federalist Party was a federalist Italian political party.It was launched as Federalist Union on 1 June 1994 by Gianfranco Miglio, an influent Senator and political scientist who left Lega Nord in May over disagreements with Umberto Bossi, and Umberto Giovine, an ex-Socialist who was at the...
(UF) of Gianfranco Miglio
Gianfranco Miglio
thumb|Gianfranco Miglio School Centre in [[Adro]].Gianfranco Miglio was an Italian jurist, political scientist and politician, founder of the Partito Federalista. For 30 years, he presided over the Political science Faculty of Milan's Università Cattolica...
or the Federalists and Liberal Democrats
Federalists and Liberal Democrats
The Federalists and Liberal Democrats was a federalist and liberal Italian political party.-History:...
(FLD), led by Furio Gubetti and Raffaele Costa
Raffaele Costa
Raffaele Costa is an Italian politician. He has been President of the Province of Cuneo...
(leader of the Union of the Centre). On 14 July the party's group in 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...
was reduced to a sub-group within the Mixed Group. On 20 December most members of LIF, including Luigi Negri, joined FLD.
In the 1996 general election
Italian general election, 1996
An early national general election was held in Italy on 21 April, 1996 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic...
, when Lega Nord, despite the several splits had its best result ever (10.1% nationally), Luigi Negri was elected to the Chamber and soon joined Forza Italia along with what remained of UF, FLD and FLD. He later left also this party to join the Italian Republican Party
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...
and thus 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 supporting Romano Prodi's government
Prodi I Cabinet
The Prodi I Cabinet was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 18 May 1996 to 21 October 1998.-Sources:*...
. Among the other leading members of LIF, Enrico Hüllwech was elected Mayor of Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
in 1998 for Forza Italia, while Giorgio Vido
Giorgio Vido
Giorgio Vido is an Italian Venetist politician. Elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies for the Liga Veneta-Lega Nord, Link title he left the party in 1994....
was a leader of Fronte Marco Polo
Fronte Marco Polo
Fronte Marco Polo was a Venetist political party active in Veneto, named after Marco Polo.Fabio Padovan, leader of the European Federalist Free Entrepreneurs and former deputy of Liga Veneta–Lega Nord, and Giorgio Vido, another former deputy of LV–LN, formed FMP in 1999 in view of the 2000...
and Liga Veneta Repubblica.