New Italy (faction)
Encyclopedia
New Italy is a national
and social-conservative
think tank which acts as a faction within The People of Freedom
(PdL), a political party in Italy. Its leader is Gianni Alemanno, a post-fascist
who had been minister of Agriculture (2001–2006) and, since 2008, mayor of Rome
.
Alemanno was one of the two main leaders of Social Right
, a faction within National Alliance
(AN), along with Francesco Storace
. They represented the party's nostalgic right-wing. In 2007 Alemanno divorced from Storace because of the latter's opposition of Gianfranco Fini
's leaderhip within the party, the party's application to become a member of the European People's Party
and its proposed merged with Forza Italia
to form the PdL. While Storace chose to leave the party to form The Right
to the right of AN, Alemanno threw his weight behind Fini and launched New Italy as a cultural association instead.
Since its foundation, the cornerstones of New Italy had been those of the late Social Right: a strong Italian identity (with a clear reference to the tradition of the Italian Social Movement
), disillusionment with globalization
, social market economy
, a "social" view of welfare
and pacifism
. Despite his post-fascist past, Alemanno tended to be a moderate figure within the PdL, thanks to his converging views with the party's Christian democrats on moral and social issues.
Within the PdL, New Italy organized the so-called New Italy Circles, which are the political/factional arm of the association. In 2010 they staunchly supported the leadership of Silvio Berlusconi
and opposed the moves of Generation Italy
, the minority faction around Gianfranco Fini
. In this respect the faction was in collaboration with the two other main groups coming from National Alliance which were loyal to Berlusconi, Protagonist Italy
(leaders: Maurizio Gasparri
, Ignazio La Russa
) and Foundation of Freedom
(leader: Altero Matteoli
), along with some minor groups (Christian Reformists
, Movement for Italy
, etc.).
In 2011 Alemanno became more critical of Berlusconi. In September New Italy organized a three-day convention during which Alemanno outlined its plan for Italy and the PdL. At the top of his agenda, there were the introduction of primaries at all levels in the PdL and the reduction of Lega Nord's role within the coalition.
National conservatism
National conservatism is a political term used primarily in Europe to describe a variant of conservatism which concentrates more on national interests than standard conservatism as well as upholding cultural and ethnic identity, while not being outspokenly nationalist or supporting a far-right...
and social-conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
think tank which acts as a faction within 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), a political party in Italy. Its leader is Gianni Alemanno, a post-fascist
Neo-Fascism
Neo-fascism is a post–World War II ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. The term neo-fascist may apply to groups that express a specific admiration for Benito Mussolini and Italian Fascism or any other fascist leader/state...
who had been minister of Agriculture (2001–2006) and, since 2008, mayor of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Alemanno was one of the two main leaders of Social Right
Social Right
Social Right was the main national and social-conservative faction within National Alliance, a political party in Italy.The faction had two main leaders: Francesco Storace and Gianni Alemanno...
, a faction within National Alliance
National Alliance (Italy)
National Alliance was a conservative political party in Italy.Gianfranco Fini was the leader of the party since its foundation in 1995, however he stepped down in 2008 after being elected to the nominally non-partisan post of President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and was succeeded by...
(AN), along with Francesco Storace
Francesco Storace
Francesco Storace is an Italian politician.He began his career at the right-wing newspaper Il Secolo d'Italia, until entering the ranks of the Italian Social Movement and later of National Alliance . He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the first time in 1994...
. They represented the party's nostalgic right-wing. In 2007 Alemanno divorced from Storace because of the latter's opposition of Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini is an Italian politician, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, leader of the center-right Future and Freedom party, and the former leader of the conservative National Alliance and the post-fascist Italian Social Movement...
's leaderhip within the party, the party's application to become a member of the European People's Party
European People's Party
The European People's Party is a pro-European centre-right European political party. The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian democratic parties, but later it increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other centre-right perspectives.The EPP is the most influential of...
and its proposed merged with 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....
to form the PdL. While Storace chose to leave the party to form The Right
The Right
The Right is a national-conservative political party in Italy.-Foundation:On 3 July 2007 Storace announced his resignation from National Alliance in a letter posted on his website, claiming that it had become too centrist and moderate and in protest against the lack of internal democracy in the...
to the right of AN, Alemanno threw his weight behind Fini and launched New Italy as a cultural association instead.
Since its foundation, the cornerstones of New Italy had been those of the late Social Right: a strong Italian identity (with a clear reference to the tradition of the Italian Social Movement
Italian Social Movement
The Italian Social Movement , and later the Italian Social Movement–National Right , was a neo-fascist and post-fascist political party in Italy. Formed in 1946 by supporters of former Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the party became the fourth largest party in Italy by the early 1960s...
), disillusionment with globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, social market economy
Social market economy
The social market economy is the main economic model used in West Germany after World War II. It is based on the economic philosophy of Ordoliberalism from the Freiburg School...
, a "social" view of welfare
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
and pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
. Despite his post-fascist past, Alemanno tended to be a moderate figure within the PdL, thanks to his converging views with the party's Christian democrats on moral and social issues.
Within the PdL, New Italy organized the so-called New Italy Circles, which are the political/factional arm of the association. In 2010 they staunchly supported the leadership of 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...
and opposed the moves of Generation Italy
Generation Italy
Generation Italy is a faction within Future and Freedom , a political party in Italy.Although most of its members come from the conservative National Alliance and were earlier members of the Italian Social Movement , the foundation was considered the cradle of social liberalism within The People...
, the minority faction around Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini
Gianfranco Fini is an Italian politician, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, leader of the center-right Future and Freedom party, and the former leader of the conservative National Alliance and the post-fascist Italian Social Movement...
. In this respect the faction was in collaboration with the two other main groups coming from National Alliance which were loyal to Berlusconi, Protagonist Italy
Protagonist Italy
Protagonist Italy is a liberal-conservative faction and think tank within The People of Freedom , a political party in Italy....
(leaders: Maurizio Gasparri
Maurizio Gasparri
Maurizio Gasparri is an Italian politician.After a period as Member of the Italian Parliament for the Movimento Sociale Italiano, Gasparri served as an Alleanza Nazionale member. During the course of his career he has served as Minister of Communications...
, Ignazio La Russa
Ignazio La Russa
Ignazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician . He became Minister of Defence in the fourth cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi on 8 May 2008...
) and Foundation of Freedom
Foundation of Freedom
Foundation of Freedom is a liberal-conservative think tank/faction within The People of Freedom , a political party in Italy....
(leader: Altero Matteoli
Altero Matteoli
Altero Matteoli is an Italian politician, former member of Alleanza Nazionale right-wing party and then member of People of Freedom.Matteoli was born in Cecina. From 2001 to 2006 he was the Italian Environment Minister.-References:*...
), along with some minor groups (Christian Reformists
Christian Reformists
The Christian Reformists are a Christian-democratic faction within The People of Freedom, a political party in Italy....
, Movement for Italy
Movement for Italy
Movement for Italy was a conservative political party in Italy which now functions as a faction within The People of Freedom , a much larger centre-right party led by Silvio Berlusconi....
, etc.).
In 2011 Alemanno became more critical of Berlusconi. In September New Italy organized a three-day convention during which Alemanno outlined its plan for Italy and the PdL. At the top of his agenda, there were the introduction of primaries at all levels in the PdL and the reduction of Lega Nord's role within the coalition.
External links
- Official website of New Italy Foundation
- Official website of New Italy Circles
- Official website of Gianni Alemanno