The Populars
Encyclopedia
The Populars is a loose association within the Democratic Party
(PD), a political party in Italy.
The Populars are the heirs of the Italian People's Party, a christian-democratic
party of the Christian left
, and of the left-wing of the late Christian Democracy
. In 2002–2007 the Populars, led by Franco Marini
and Ciriaco De Mita
, were the majority faction within Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, before merging into the PD. In the 2007 Democratic Party primary election
around 600 Populars were elected to the party Constituent Assembly.
Leading members of the association include Dario Franceschini
(Deputy Secretary of the party under Walter Veltroni
and, later, Secretary), Franco Marini (former President of the Senate
), Giuseppe Fioroni
(former Minister of Education), Antonello Soro (former President of the parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies
) and Pierluigi Castagnetti, while Ciriaco De Mita abandoned the PD over disagreements with party leader Walter Veltroni
in early 2008. Also Rosy Bindi
and Enrico Letta
, leaders of Democrats Really and the 360 Association
respectively, are members. The membership of Bindi and Letta is an evidence of the fact that The Populars, albeit being united on some issues such as the refusal to join the Party of European Socialists
, are increasingly a loose group.
In this respect Franceschini and Fioroni set up a more reliable faction called Fourth Phase
. This name was chosen to identify the new stage of left-wing Catholics in Italian politics, the first three being within the Italian People's Party (1919–1926)
, the Christian Democracy (1943–1994) and the Italian People's Party (1994–2002) respectively, and the fourth the current one, with the Democratic Party.
As of January 2009 the organization of the new faction was completed: Antonello Giacomelli was elected president of the faction, which counts almost 90 Democrat MPs. However also Franceschini and Fioroni, who is the real leader of the group and the heir of Marini, had their differences, the first being a keen supporter of Walter Veltroni and the second more interested in unifying former Christian Democrats and Catholics in general within the party, including the Theo-Dems, the Ulivists
, the followers of Bindi, the Lettiani
and the Social Christians
.
After the resignation of Veltroni as party secretary and its replacement with Franceschini, the Populars of Fourth Phase chose to support Franceschini in the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election
, while Letta and Bindi, as well as most Ulivists and the Social Christians
, supported Pier Luigi Bersani
. The latter won and most Veltroniani thus joined Democratic Area
, the united minority faction led by Franceschini.
Since that Franceschini had re-approached with Bersani, Veltroni organized a "movement" outside Democratic Area, which was joined by 35 Populars led by Fioroni. Veltroni's new faction was named Democratic Movement
. This caused a split between the Populars loyal to Franceschini and those loyal to Fioroni. The future of Fourth Phase is thus unclear.
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....
(PD), a political party in Italy.
The Populars are the heirs of the Italian People's Party, a christian-democratic
Christian Democracy
Christian 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...
party of the Christian left
Christian left
The Christian left is a term originating in the United States, used to describe a spectrum of left-wing Christian political and social movements which largely embraces social justice....
, and of the left-wing of the late Christian Democracy
Christian Democracy (Italy)
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....
. In 2002–2007 the Populars, led by Franco Marini
Franco Marini
Franco Marini is an Italian politician and a prominent member of the centre-left Democratic Party. From 2006 to 2008 he was President of the Italian Senate.-Biography:...
and Ciriaco De Mita
Ciriaco de Mita
Ciriaco Luigi de Mita is an Italian politician. He served as the 47th Prime Minister of Italy from 1988 to 1989 and is currently Member of the European Parliament.-Biography:De Mita was born in Nusco, in the Avellinese hinterland....
, were the majority faction within Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, before merging into the PD. In the 2007 Democratic Party primary election
Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2007
The 2007 Democratic Party leadership election was held on 14 October 2007 in order to elect the first leader of the Democratic Party, the largest political party in Italy at the time. The election was conducted as an open primary, with all Italian citizens aged at least 16 and non-Italian legal...
around 600 Populars were elected to the party Constituent Assembly.
Leading members of the association include Dario Franceschini
Dario Franceschini
Dario Franceschini is an Italian lawyer, writer, and politician, who served as the second leader of the Democratic Party. He has been a prominent member of the Italian People's Party , of the Daisy and the first Deputy Secretary of the Democratic Party...
(Deputy Secretary of the party under Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
and, later, Secretary), Franco Marini (former President of the Senate
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...
), Giuseppe Fioroni
Giuseppe Fioroni
Giuseppe Fioroni , often nicknamed Beppe, is an Italian politician, member of the Democratic Party and formerly the Italian Minister of Education in the Prodi II Cabinet from 2006 to 2008....
(former Minister of Education), Antonello Soro (former President of the parliamentary 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...
) and Pierluigi Castagnetti, while Ciriaco De Mita abandoned the PD over disagreements with party leader Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni, Knight Grand Cross, is an Italian writer, journalist and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He served as Mayor of Rome from 2001 to 2008.-Biography:Walter Veltroni was...
in early 2008. Also Rosy Bindi
Rosy Bindi
Maria Rosaria Bindi, best known as Rosy Bindi is an Italian politician and the current President of the Democratic Party.-Career:...
and Enrico Letta
Enrico Letta
Enrico Letta is an Italian politician, and was elected to the Italian Chamber of Deputies in the 2006 General election for the Olive Tree coalition...
, leaders of Democrats Really and the 360 Association
360 Association
360 Association is a centrist faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy. It is led by Enrico Letta and that is why its members are often called Lettiani....
respectively, are members. The membership of Bindi and Letta is an evidence of the fact that The Populars, albeit being united on some issues such as the refusal to join the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
, are increasingly a loose group.
In this respect Franceschini and Fioroni set up a more reliable faction called Fourth Phase
Fourth Phase
Fourth Phase is a faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.The name of the faction was chosen to identify the new stage of left-wing Catholics in Italian politics, the first three being within the Italian People's Party , the Christian Democracy and the Italian People's...
. This name was chosen to identify the new stage of left-wing Catholics in Italian politics, the first three being within the Italian People's Party (1919–1926)
Italian People's Party (1919–1926)
The Italian People's Party was a Christian-democratic political party in Italy.It was founded in 1919 by Luigi Sturzo, a Catholic priest. The PPI was backed by Pope Benedict XV to oppose the Italian Socialist Party...
, the Christian Democracy (1943–1994) and the Italian People's Party (1994–2002) respectively, and the fourth the current one, with the Democratic Party.
As of January 2009 the organization of the new faction was completed: Antonello Giacomelli was elected president of the faction, which counts almost 90 Democrat MPs. However also Franceschini and Fioroni, who is the real leader of the group and the heir of Marini, had their differences, the first being a keen supporter of Walter Veltroni and the second more interested in unifying former Christian Democrats and Catholics in general within the party, including the Theo-Dems, the Ulivists
Ulivists
The Ulivists are a faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.The group includes both Christian left politicians, social democrats and social liberals. They has been close supporters of Romano Prodi and want the party to be stuck in the tradition of The Olive Tree...
, the followers of Bindi, the Lettiani
Lettiani
Lettiani refers to the faction around Enrico Letta, a leading member of the Democratic Party, a political party in Italy.The followers of Letta are generally centrists proposing an alliance with the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and a liberal approach to the economy...
and the Social Christians
Social Christians
Social Christians is a Christian social-democratic faction within the Democratic Party, a political party in Italy....
.
After the resignation of Veltroni as party secretary and its replacement with Franceschini, the Populars of Fourth Phase chose to support Franceschini in the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election
Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2009
The 2009 Democratic Party leadership election was held in July–November 2009 following the resignation of Walter Veltroni in February 2009, after 16 months as secretary of the Democratic Party , the second-largest political party in Italy....
, while Letta and Bindi, as well as most Ulivists and the Social Christians
Social Christians
Social Christians is a Christian social-democratic faction within the Democratic Party, a political party in Italy....
, supported Pier Luigi Bersani
Pier Luigi Bersani
Pier Luigi Bersani is an Italian politician and the current Secretary of the Democratic Party of Italy, the main center-left political party in Italy . He was Minister of Industry, Commerce and Craftmanship from 1996 to 1999, Minister of Transports from 1999 to 2001, and Minister of Economic...
. The latter won and most Veltroniani thus joined Democratic Area
Democratic Area
Democratic Area is a broad faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.The faction coordinator is Marina Sereni, a former Democrat of the Left close to Piero Fassino...
, the united minority faction led by Franceschini.
Since that Franceschini had re-approached with Bersani, Veltroni organized a "movement" outside Democratic Area, which was joined by 35 Populars led by Fioroni. Veltroni's new faction was named Democratic Movement
Democratic Movement (Italy)
Democratic Movement is a faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy.At the 2009 leadership election Dario Franceschini was defeated by Pier Luigi Bersani...
. This caused a split between the Populars loyal to Franceschini and those loyal to Fioroni. The future of Fourth Phase is thus unclear.