The Clover
Encyclopedia
The Clover was a centrist
coalition of Italian parties.
It was launched on 27 October 1999 and led by Francesco Cossiga
, who supported the D'Alema I Cabinet since its birth thanks to his Democratic Union for the Republic
(UDC). The idea of The Clover was to unify those political forces within the majority which felt marginalized. The coalition was composed of three parties:
The coalition was responsible of bringing down D'Alema I Cabinet (Massimo D'Alema
resigned on 22 December) and decided not to enter in D'Alema II Cabinet. At that point The Clover had 18 deputies
, eight senators
and two ministers: Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini
(UpR, Defence) and Angelo Piazza (SDI, Public Administration).
On 8 February 2008, after that Cossiga had hinted the possibility of making an alliance with the centre-right
Pole of Freedoms
, SDI left the coalition, while some of its members, including Claudio Martelli
and Bobo Craxi, who formed the Socialist League
, which replaced SDI as third component of The Clover.
Since then anyway, the coalition was loosened and each party started to take autonomous decisions, but by the 2001 general election
all the three groups had joined in different ways the centre-right House of Freedoms
coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi
: the Socialist League took part to the foundation of the New Italian Socialist Party, PRI signed an electoral pact with Forza Italia
and UpR merged into that party.
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
coalition of Italian parties.
It was launched on 27 October 1999 and led by Francesco Cossiga
Francesco Cossiga
Francesco Cossiga was an Italian politician, the 43rd Prime Minister and the eighth President of the Italian Republic. He was also a professor of constitutional law at the University of Sassari....
, who supported the D'Alema I Cabinet since its birth thanks to his Democratic Union for the Republic
Democratic Union for the Republic
The Democratic Union for the Republic was a short-lived centrist political party in Italy.It was founded in February 1998 by Francesco Cossiga, Clemente Mastella , Rocco Buttiglione , Mario Segni The Democratic Union for the Republic (Unione Democratica per la Repubblica, UDR) was a short-lived...
(UDC). The idea of The Clover was to unify those political forces within the majority which felt marginalized. The coalition was composed of three parties:
- the Italian Democratic SocialistsItalian Democratic SocialistsThe Italian Democratic Socialists were a small social-democratic political party in Italy. Led by Enrico Boselli, the party was the direct continuation of the Italian Socialists, the legal successor of the historical Italian Socialist Party...
(SDI, social-democraticSocial democracySocial democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, leader: Enrico BoselliEnrico BoselliEnrico Boselli is an Italian politician. He is currently Vice President of Alliance for Italy, and is the former leader of the Italian Democratic Socialists and the modern-day Italian Socialist Party....
) - the Union for the RepublicUnion for the Republic (Italy)The Union for the Republic was a centrist Italian political party.It was formed by Francesco Cossiga and his followers after the break-up of the Democratic Union for the Republic in 1999. Most of its members, with the notable exception of Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini, joined Forza Italia prior to the...
(UpR, christian-democraticChristian DemocracyChristian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
and liberalLiberalismLiberalism 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,...
, leader: Francesco CossigaFrancesco CossigaFrancesco Cossiga was an Italian politician, the 43rd Prime Minister and the eighth President of the Italian Republic. He was also a professor of constitutional law at the University of Sassari....
) - the Italian Republican PartyItalian Republican PartyThe 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...
(PRI, liberalLiberalismLiberalism 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,...
, leader: Giorgio La MalfaGiorgio La MalfaGiorgio La Malfa is an Italian politician.-Biography:La Malfa was born in Milan, the son of Ugo La Malfa, a long-time Italian political leader and minister....
)
The coalition was responsible of bringing down D'Alema I Cabinet (Massimo D'Alema
Massimo D'Alema
Massimo D'Alema is an Italian politician. He is also a journalist and a former national secretary of the Democratic Party of the Left...
resigned on 22 December) and decided not to enter in D'Alema II Cabinet. At that point The Clover had 18 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...
, eight senators
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
and two ministers: Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini
Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini
Carlo Scognamiglio Pasini is an Italian Italian economist and politician. He is a university professor in applied economics and was chancellor of the Luiss University of Rome ....
(UpR, Defence) and Angelo Piazza (SDI, Public Administration).
On 8 February 2008, after that Cossiga had hinted the possibility of making an alliance with 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...
Pole of Freedoms
Pole of Freedoms
The Pole of Freedoms was a centre-right electoral alliance in Italy, launched at the 1994 general election by Silvio Berlusconi.The alliance was composed primarily of Forza Italia and the Lega Nord, but also included Christian Democratic Centre and the Union of the Centre...
, SDI left the coalition, while some of its members, including Claudio Martelli
Claudio Martelli
Claudio Martelli is an Italian politician, and the right-hand man of Bettino Craxi, the socialist Prime Minister from 1983–1987.-Biography:Martelli was born at Gessate, in the province of Milan....
and Bobo Craxi, who formed the Socialist League
Socialist League
Socialist League may refer to one of several organisations:*Socialist League *Socialist League *Socialist League *Socialist League *Socialist League *Socialist League...
, which replaced SDI as third component of The Clover.
Since then anyway, the coalition was loosened and each party started to take autonomous decisions, but by the 2001 general election
Italian general election, 2001
A national general election was held in Italy on May 13, 2001 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. The 14th Parliament of the Italian republic was chosen....
all the three groups had joined in different ways the centre-right 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...
coalition led by 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 Socialist League took part to the foundation of the New Italian Socialist Party, PRI signed an electoral pact 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....
and UpR merged into that party.