Movement for the Left
Encyclopedia
Movement for the Left was a socialist
and communist
political party in Italy, emerged by a split from the Communist Refoundation Party
. Its leader was Nichi Vendola
.
(RpS), a faction within the Communist Refoundation Party
(PRC) composed of the bulk of the Bertinottiani
, the group around Fausto Bertinotti
that retained the majority of the party from 1998 to 2008. They supported the candidacy of Nichi Vendola
for party secretary in the 24–27 July 2008 congress of the party. Vendola was defeated and Paolo Ferrero
, a former bertinottiano who gained the support of the party's left-wing, became secretary. RpS represented the modernisers within the party and supported the creation of a united left with greens, socialists and other radicals (in fact they were among the keenest supporters of The Left – The Rainbow
), both in Italy and in Europe.
In January 2009 the new leadership of the PRC replaced the editor of Liberazione
, the party's newspaper, removing Piero Sansonetti, close to Vendola. The decision was strongly opposed by Vendoliani. At the same time Ferrero ruled out any alliance for the European Parliament election, in which the party will run alone, provoking another rift with Vendoliani, who were keen supporters joint-list with other left-wing forces, and that was considered another step toward the break-up of the party.
On 24 January the group around Vendola, including Franco Giordano
, Gennaro Migliore and Alfonso Gianni, finally decided to leave the party and to transform their faction into a party. However some members of the faction, including Giusto Catania
, Milziade Caprili and Tommaso Sodano, decided not to leave the PRC and re-organized themselves into To the Left with Refoundation
, while Bertinotti decided not to take any decision for now, participating to the inauguration of the party's headquarters on 3 March 2009 in Rome and to the assembly of those RpS members who decided to stay in the PRC.
The goal of MpS was that of forming a new party with other left-wing groups, including Democratic Left
(SD), Unite the Left
(UlS) and United to the Left
(UaS). That is why Vendoliani sought to form a joint list for the 2009 European Parliament election
with these political forces (or even the Federation of the Greens
in a sort of re-edition of The Left – The Rainbow), while refusing any proposal of "communist joint list" with the Party of Italian Communists
(PdCI), although Vendola did not rule out an alliance comprising also the PRC and the PdCI.
On 16 March 2009, MpS formed a joint electoral list named Left and Freedom with the Greens, the Democratic Left, Unite the Left
and the Socialist Party, a moderate social-democratic outfit, in order to overcome the 4% threshold recently introduced in the electoral law. According to Vendola, such a coalition could become a stable and reliable ally for Democratic Party
.
On 22 October 2010, Left and Freedom, renamed Left Ecology Freedom, and minus the Socialists and Greens, was founded as a political party.
, shortly before their merger into the Democratic Party
. Shortly after Longhi merged MpS with the Party of Italian Communists
.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and 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...
political party in Italy, emerged by a split from the Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
. Its leader was Nichi Vendola
Nichi Vendola
Nicola "Nichi" Vendola is an Italian left-wing politician and currently the President of Apulia.-Life:Born in Terlizzi, province of Bari , 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...
.
History
MpS emerged from the split of Refoundation for the LeftRefoundation for the Left
Refoundation for the Left is a faction within the Communist Refoundation Party, a political party in Italy. Most of its members launched the Movement for the Left in late January 2009...
(RpS), a faction within the Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
(PRC) composed of the bulk of the Bertinottiani
Bertinottiani
Bertinottiani referred to the faction around Fausto Bertinotti, a leading member of the Communist Refoundation Party , a political party in Italy....
, the group around 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...
that retained the majority of the party from 1998 to 2008. They supported the candidacy of Nichi Vendola
Nichi Vendola
Nicola "Nichi" Vendola is an Italian left-wing politician and currently the President of Apulia.-Life:Born in Terlizzi, province of Bari , 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...
for party secretary in the 24–27 July 2008 congress of the party. Vendola was defeated and 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:...
, a former bertinottiano who gained the support of the party's left-wing, became secretary. RpS represented the modernisers within the party and supported the creation of a united left with greens, socialists and other radicals (in fact they were among the keenest supporters of The Left – The Rainbow
The Left – The Rainbow
The Left – The Rainbow , frequently referred as Rainbow Left , was a left-wing federation of parties in Italy....
), both in Italy and in Europe.
In January 2009 the new leadership of the PRC replaced the editor of Liberazione
Liberazione
Liberazione is Italian for liberation. It may refer to:* Liberation Day , April 25, the anniversary of the 1945 fall of Mussolini's Italian Social Republic; a public holiday in Italy....
, the party's newspaper, removing Piero Sansonetti, close to Vendola. The decision was strongly opposed by Vendoliani. At the same time Ferrero ruled out any alliance for the European Parliament election, in which the party will run alone, provoking another rift with Vendoliani, who were keen supporters joint-list with other left-wing forces, and that was considered another step toward the break-up of the party.
On 24 January the group around Vendola, including Franco Giordano
Franco Giordano
Francesco "Franco" Giordano is an Italian politician.Born in Bari, he became a member of the Italian Communist Party in 1974. In 1985-1987 he was member of the national leadership of Federation of Young Italian Communists, and, in 1987-1990, of the local PCI leadership of the province of Bari...
, Gennaro Migliore and Alfonso Gianni, finally decided to leave the party and to transform their faction into a party. However some members of the faction, including Giusto Catania
Giusto Catania
Giusto Catania is an Italian politician and former Member of the European Parliament for North-West with the Partito della Rifondazione Comunista , part of the European Left and sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.He was a substitute for the...
, Milziade Caprili and Tommaso Sodano, decided not to leave the PRC and re-organized themselves into To the Left with Refoundation
To the Left with Refoundation
To the Left with Refoundation is a faction within the Communist Refoundation Party, a communist political party in Italy...
, while Bertinotti decided not to take any decision for now, participating to the inauguration of the party's headquarters on 3 March 2009 in Rome and to the assembly of those RpS members who decided to stay in the PRC.
The goal of MpS was that of forming a new party with other left-wing groups, including Democratic Left
Democratic Left (Italy)
Democratic Left was a democratic socialist political party in Italy.It was founded on 5 May 2007 by splinters of the Democrats of the Left centred around Fabio Mussi and Gavino Angius, who opposed the merger of the DS into the Democratic Party...
(SD), Unite the Left
Unite the Left
Unite the Left is the minority faction within the Party of Italian Communists , a political party in Italy. Its leaders include former minister Katia Belillo and MEP Umberto Guidoni....
(UlS) and United to the Left
United to the Left
United to the Left was a network of leftist groups associated with the Communist Refoundation Party in Italy from 2005 to 2009...
(UaS). That is why Vendoliani sought to form a joint list for the 2009 European Parliament election
European Parliament election, 2009 (Italy)
European elections to elect 72 members of the European Parliament representing Italy were held on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2009, as decided by the Italian government on December 18, 2008...
with these political forces (or even the 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:...
in a sort of re-edition of The Left – The Rainbow), while refusing any proposal of "communist joint list" with the Party of Italian Communists
Party of Italian Communists
The Party of Italian Communists is a communist political party in Italy. Its long-time leader is Oliviero Diliberto.-Foundation and early years:...
(PdCI), although Vendola did not rule out an alliance comprising also the PRC and the PdCI.
On 16 March 2009, MpS formed a joint electoral list named Left and Freedom with the Greens, the Democratic Left, Unite the Left
Unite the Left
Unite the Left is the minority faction within the Party of Italian Communists , a political party in Italy. Its leaders include former minister Katia Belillo and MEP Umberto Guidoni....
and the Socialist Party, a moderate social-democratic outfit, in order to overcome the 4% threshold recently introduced in the electoral law. According to Vendola, such a coalition could become a stable and reliable ally for 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....
.
On 22 October 2010, Left and Freedom, renamed Left Ecology Freedom, and minus the Socialists and Greens, was founded as a political party.
Leadership
The party was led by a group of coordination elected during the 27 January 2009 assembly and composed of Celeste Costantino, Elettra Deiana, Titti De Simone, Daniele Farina, Nicola Fratoianni, Alfonso Gianni, Beatrice Giavazzi, Gennaro Migliore, Elisabetta Piccolotti and Alì Khalil.Trivia
Another short-lived political party with the same name was launched in March 2007 by Aleandro Longhi as a split from the Democrats of the LeftDemocrats of the Left
The Democrats of the Left was a social-democratic Italian political party and part of the Olive Tree electoral coalition, which merged with a number of centrist and leftist groups to form the Democratic Party on 14 October 2007...
, shortly before their merger into 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....
. Shortly after Longhi merged MpS with the Party of Italian Communists
Party of Italian Communists
The Party of Italian Communists is a communist political party in Italy. Its long-time leader is Oliviero Diliberto.-Foundation and early years:...
.