The Left – The Rainbow
Encyclopedia
The Left – The Rainbow frequently referred as Rainbow Left (Sinistra Arcobaleno, SA), was a left-wing
federation of parties in Italy.
The federation, defined by its members as the sinistra radicale (which can be translated in English as both "radical left" and "far left"), was composed of four parties:
forces have done with the Democratic Party
and before that The Olive Tree.
The four parties tended to disagree on a number of issues, including the support for the Prodi II Cabinet
, the symbol and the name of the federation, with the Greens wanting the word "ecologist" and the Italian Communists the hammer and sickle
to be included, but in the end they formed a joint list for the 2008 general election
.
In the election The Left – The Rainbow gained a disastrous 3.1% of the vote (down from 10.2%, combined result of the three parties in 2006 general election
) and failed to gain any seats in the Italian Parliament. Shortly after, the Party of Italian Communists
announced it would leave the federation, and the Communist Refoundation Party
did the same soon after. These groups went on to launch the Anticapitalist List
, which later became the Federation of the Left
. Meanwhile the Greens
and Democratic Left
, together with the Socialist Party, Movement for the Left
and Unite the Left
, formed Left Ecology Freedom.
never took part in an election): the Communist Refoundation Party
(1994-2006), the Party of Italian Communists
(1999-2006) and the Federation of the Greens
(1994-2006).
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
federation of parties in Italy.
The federation, defined by its members as the sinistra radicale (which can be translated in English as both "radical left" and "far left"), was composed of four parties:
- the Communist Refoundation PartyCommunist Refoundation PartyThe Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
(PRC, communistCommunismCommunism 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...
, leader: Franco GiordanoFranco GiordanoFrancesco "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...
); - the Party of Italian CommunistsParty of Italian CommunistsThe Party of Italian Communists is a communist political party in Italy. Its long-time leader is Oliviero Diliberto.-Foundation and early years:...
(PdCI, communistCommunismCommunism 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...
, leader: Oliviero DilibertoOliviero DilibertoOliviero Diliberto is an Italian politician. He is the current leader of the Party of Italian Communists.- Early life :...
); - the Federation of the GreensFederation of the GreensThe 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:...
(FV, greenGreen politicsGreen politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
, leader: Alfonso Pecoraro ScanioAlfonso Pecoraro ScanioAlfonso Pecoraro Scanio , is an Italian politician. He served as Minister of Environment in the second cabinet of Romano Prodi between 2006 and 2008....
, Minister of the Environment); - the Democratic LeftDemocratic 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, democratic-socialistDemocratic socialismDemocratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
, leader: Fabio MussiFabio MussiFabio Mussi is an Italian politician, formerly Minister of University and Research in the Prodi II Cabinet. A former member of Italian Communist Party and then Democrats of the Left, he became a lead founding member of the Democratic Left...
, Minister of University and Research).
History
The federation was officially launched on 8–9 December 2007 with the goal of uniting Italian communist, socialist and ecologist parties in a united bloc, somewhat similar to what the centre-leftCentre-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...
forces have done with 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....
and before that The Olive Tree.
The four parties tended to disagree on a number of issues, including the support for the Prodi II Cabinet
Prodi II Cabinet
The Prodi II Cabinet was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008, a total of 722 days, or 1 year, 11 months and 21 days...
, the symbol and the name of the federation, with the Greens wanting the word "ecologist" and the Italian Communists the hammer and sickle
Hammer and sickle
The hammer and sickle is a part of communist symbolism and its usage indicates an association with Communism, a Communist party, or a Communist state. It features a hammer and a sickle overlapping each other. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry; placing them...
to be included, but in the end they formed a joint list for the 2008 general election
Italian general election, 2008
A snap general election was held in Italy on 13 April and 14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on 6 February 2008 following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote, and the unsuccessful tentative...
.
In the election The Left – The Rainbow gained a disastrous 3.1% of the vote (down from 10.2%, combined result of the three parties in 2006 general election
Italian general election, 2006
In the Italian general election, 2006 for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy held on April 9 and April 10, 2006 the incumbent prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the center-right House of Freedoms, was narrowly defeated by Romano Prodi, leader of the center-left The...
) and failed to gain any seats in the Italian Parliament. Shortly after, 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:...
announced it would leave the federation, and the Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
did the same soon after. These groups went on to launch the Anticapitalist List
Anticapitalist List
The Anticapitalist List was a communist coalition of political parties in Italy, formed in the run-up to the 2009 European Parliament election in order to overcome the 4% threshold introduced by the new electoral law....
, which later became the Federation of the Left
Federation of the Left
Federation of the Left is a communist coalition of political parties in Italy.The coalition is the evolution of the Anticapitalist List and includes:*Communist Refoundation Party...
. Meanwhile 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:...
and 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...
, together with the Socialist Party, Movement for the Left
Movement for the Left
Movement for the Left was a socialist and communist political party in Italy, emerged by a split from the Communist Refoundation Party...
and 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....
, formed Left Ecology Freedom.
Popular support
The electoral results of The Left – The Rainbow in the 10 most populated Regions of Italy are shown in the table below. As The Left was founded in 2007, the electoral results from 1994 to 2006 refer to the combined result of three of the four founding parties (Democratic LeftDemocratic 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...
never took part in an election): the Communist Refoundation Party
Communist Refoundation Party
The Communist Refoundation Party is a communist Italian political party. Its current secretary is Paolo Ferrero....
(1994-2006), 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:...
(1999-2006) and 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:...
(1994-2006).
| 1994 general | 1995 regional | 1996 general | 1999 European | 2000 regional | 2001 general | 2004 European | 2005 regional | 2006 general | 2008 general | |
| Piedmont | 8.6 | 12.0 | 12.8 | 9.1 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 11.9 | 11.8 | 11.2 | 3.4 |
| Lombardy | 7.3 | 10.8 | 9.2 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 11.0 | 9.3 | 2.9 |
| Veneto | 8.2 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 8.3 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 2.2 |
| Emilia-Romagna | 9.3 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 8.8 | 10.6 | 9.2 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 10.0 | 3.0 |
| Tuscany | 12.5 | 13.8 | 14.5 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 11.2 | 14.9 | 15.3 | 13.4 | 4.5 |
| Lazio | 9.2 | 12.8 | 12.9 | 8.7 | 10.7 | 8.3 | 12.0 | 10.8 | 12.2 | 3.3 |
| Campania | 10.8 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 10.6 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 2.7 |
| Apulia | 10.1 | 10.7 | 9.2 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 8.5 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 9.5 | 3.0 |
| Calabria | 11.3 | 8.7 | 11.8 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 8.7 | 11.1 | 12.7 | 11.5 | 3.2 |
| Sicily | ||||||||||
| 5.3 | 9.7 | 4.1 | 3.6 (2001) | 6.2 | 7.0 | |||||
| 6.9 | 2.6 | |||||||||
| ITALY | 8.8 | - | 11.1 | 8.1 | - | 8.9 | 11.0 | - | 10.2 | 3.1 |