Theo-Dem
Encyclopedia
Theo-Dems are a Christian-democratic
faction with the Italian
Democratic Party
, which combines social-conservative
views on ethical issues with a Christian left
ist approach on economic issues.
In the run-up of the 2006 general election
Francesco Rutelli, leader of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, recruited some devout Catholics, notably Paola Binetti
(president of the committee against the referendum on limiting the restrictions to artificial insemination) and Luigi Bobba (leader of the "Christian Associations of Italian Workers", a leading Catholic association), to run in party lists for the Senate
, in order to balance the choice of a joint-list with the left-wing Democrats of the Left
for the Chamber of Deputies
.
In the 2006–2008 parliamentary term three senators (Luigi Bobba, Patrizia Binetti and Emanuela Baio Dossi) and three deputies (Dorina Bianchi, Enzo Carra and Marco Calgaro) were affiliated to the Theo-Dems. Due to the razor-thin majority of The Union
in the Senate, they sometimes held the balance. After some initial criticism, they decided to follow Rutelli into the Democratic Party
, born with the merger of Democracy is Freedom with the Democrats of the Left. During the parliamentary term Theo-Dems were joined by other Catholic MPs close to Rutelli, including two former leading members of the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts, Cristina De Luca and Luigi Lusi.
In the current parliamentary term, started with the 2008 general election
, the group was originally composed of five deputies (Paola Binetti, Luigi Bobba, Enzo Carra, Marco Calgaro and Donato Mosella) e six senators (Benedetto Adragna, Emanuela Baio Dossi, Egidio Banti, Dorina Bianchi, Luigi Lusi e Antonino Papania), all close to Rutelli so that they are considered to be part of the so-called rutelliani
.
In October 2008 some Theo-Dems, along with other Catholic MPs close to Rutelli, notably including Renzo Lusetti, launched a new association named Persons and Networks (PeR). It is not yet clear if it will replace the current association or not.
In the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election
the group supported Dario Franceschini
, through the adhesion to Rutelli's Free Democrats
. In October, however, Binetti, offended by some remarks by Franceschini over her positions on homophobia
, she hinted that she was going to vote for Pier Luigi Bersani
. In November 2009 some Theo-Dems (including Marco Calgaro) left the PD in order to join Rutelli's new party, Alliance for Italy
, while in January–February 2010 Enzo Carra, Renzo Lusetti and finally Paola Binetti joined the Union of the Centre instead, citing the PD's endorsement to Emma Bonino
, a secularist Radical
, as centre-left candidate in the Lazio regional election
. After these splits, the Theo-Dems, led by Luigi Bobba, are thus a tiny minority within the PD, composed of one deputy and five senators. Without Binetti and Carra the future of the faction is anyway unclear.
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...
faction with the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
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....
, which combines 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...
views on ethical issues with a 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....
ist approach on economic issues.
In the run-up of the 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...
Francesco Rutelli, leader of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, recruited some devout Catholics, notably Paola Binetti
Paola Binetti
Paola Binetti is an Italian Deputy who belonged to the Democratic Party before 2010. Now she belongs the Union of the Centre.-Biography:Binetti was born in Rome...
(president of the committee against the referendum on limiting the restrictions to artificial insemination) and Luigi Bobba (leader of the "Christian Associations of Italian Workers", a leading Catholic association), to run in party lists for 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...
, in order to balance the choice of a joint-list with the left-wing Democrats of the Left
Democrats 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...
for 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...
.
In the 2006–2008 parliamentary term three senators (Luigi Bobba, Patrizia Binetti and Emanuela Baio Dossi) and three deputies (Dorina Bianchi, Enzo Carra and Marco Calgaro) were affiliated to the Theo-Dems. Due to the razor-thin majority of The Union
The Union (political coalition)
The Union was an centre-left coalition of political parties in Italy. It was led by Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy from April 2006 to April 2008, and former President of the European Commission.-Parties:...
in the Senate, they sometimes held the balance. After some initial criticism, they decided to follow Rutelli 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....
, born with the merger of Democracy is Freedom with the Democrats of the Left. During the parliamentary term Theo-Dems were joined by other Catholic MPs close to Rutelli, including two former leading members of the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts, Cristina De Luca and Luigi Lusi.
In the current parliamentary term, started with 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...
, the group was originally composed of five deputies (Paola Binetti, Luigi Bobba, Enzo Carra, Marco Calgaro and Donato Mosella) e six senators (Benedetto Adragna, Emanuela Baio Dossi, Egidio Banti, Dorina Bianchi, Luigi Lusi e Antonino Papania), all close to Rutelli so that they are considered to be part of the so-called rutelliani
Rutelliani
Rutelliani refers to the group around Francesco Rutelli, a former leading member of the Democratic Party, a political party in Italy, and later leader of Alliance for Italy...
.
In October 2008 some Theo-Dems, along with other Catholic MPs close to Rutelli, notably including Renzo Lusetti, launched a new association named Persons and Networks (PeR). It is not yet clear if it will replace the current association or not.
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....
the group supported 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...
, through the adhesion to Rutelli's Free Democrats
Free Democrats (Italy)
The Free Democrats were the centrist faction within the Democratic Party , a political party in Italy, around Francesco Rutelli, former leader of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy, one of the two main parties that merged to form the PD in 2007.The faction was launched by Rutelli in June 2009 during...
. In October, however, Binetti, offended by some remarks by Franceschini over her positions on homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, she hinted that she was going to vote for 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...
. In November 2009 some Theo-Dems (including Marco Calgaro) left the PD in order to join Rutelli's new party, Alliance for Italy
Alliance for Italy
Alliance for Italy is a centrist political party in Italy.The party, which is described in its manifesto as "democratic, liberal, popular" as opposed both to "right-wing populism" and the "social-democratic left, an experience with high and memorable value, yet by now run out", was launched on 11...
, while in January–February 2010 Enzo Carra, Renzo Lusetti and finally Paola Binetti joined the Union of the Centre instead, citing the PD's endorsement to Emma Bonino
Emma Bonino
Emma Bonino is an Italian politician, former Member of the European Parliament and current Member of the Italian Senate. She is a leading member of the Italian Radicals, a political party that supports economic and social libertarianism, and human rights...
, a secularist Radical
Italian Radicals
Italian Radicals is an Italian political party which describes itself as a liberale, liberista e libertario political movement .It was...
, as centre-left candidate in the Lazio regional election
Lazio regional election, 2010
The Lazio regional election of 2010 took place on 28–29 March 2010.Piero Marrazzo of the Democratic Party , who was elected President in 2005, seemed a strong candidate for the centre-left in 2010, being the most popular of the possible candidates and the winner in most head-to-head contests with...
. After these splits, the Theo-Dems, led by Luigi Bobba, are thus a tiny minority within the PD, composed of one deputy and five senators. Without Binetti and Carra the future of the faction is anyway unclear.