National Alliance (Italy)
Encyclopedia
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 Ignazio La Russa
, who managed to merge the party into The People of Freedom
(PdL). This finally happened in 2009.
(MSI), the former neo-fascist
party, merged with conservative elements of the former Christian Democracy
, which had disbanded in 1994 after two years of scandals and various splits due to corruption
at its highest levels, exposed by the Mani Pulite
investigation, and the Italian Liberal Party
, disbanded in the same year. Former MSI members were however still the bulk of the new party and former MSI leader Gianfranco Fini
was elected leader of the new party.
The logo followed a template very similar to the Democratic Party of the Left
, with the previous logo in a small circle, as a means of legally preventing others from using it. The name was suggested by an article on the Italian newspaper Il Tempo written in 1992 by Domenico Fisichella, a prominent conservative academic. Starting in the 1990s, the MSI gradually transformed into a mainstream right-wing
party, culminating in its 1995 dissolution into AN.
coalition governments led by Silvio Berlusconi
. Gianfranco Fini was notably nominated Deputy Prime Minister after the 2001 general election
and was Foreign Minister from November 2004 to May 2006.
When Gianfranco Fini visited Israel
in late November 2003 in the function of Italian Deputy Prime Minister, he labeled the racial laws issued by the fascist
regime in 1938 as "infamous", as also Giorgio Almirante
, historic leader of MSI, had done before. He also referred to the Italian Social Republic
as belonging to the most shameful pages of the past, and considered fascism part of an era of "absolute evil", something which was hardly acceptable to the few remaining hardliners of the party. As a result, Alessandra Mussolini
, the granddaughter of the former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini
, who had been at odds with the party on a number of issues for a long time, and some hardliners left the party and formed Social Action.
In occasion of the 2006 general election
, AN ran within the House of Freedoms, with new allies. The centre-right lost by 24,000 votes in favor of the centre-left coalition The Union
. Individually AN received nearly 5 million votes, amounting to 12.3%. In July 2007 a group of splinters led by Francesco Storace
formed The Right
, which was officially founded on 10 November. Seven MPs of AN, including Teodoro Buontempo and Daniela Santanchè
, joined the new party.
announced that Forza Italia would have soon merged or transformed into the The People of Freedom
(PdL) party.
After the sudden fall of the second Prodi government
in January 2008, the breakup of The Union
and the subsequent political crisis which lead to a fresh general election, Berlusconi hinted that Forza Italia would have probably contested its last election and the new party would have been officially founded only after that election. In an atmosphere of reconciliation with Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi also stated that the new party could see the participation of other parties. Finally, on 8 February, Berlusconi and Fini agreed to form a joint list under the banner of the "The People of Freedom", allied with Lega Nord. After the victory of the PdL in the 2008 general election
, AN was merged into the PdL in early 2009.
Distinguishing itself from the MSI, the party distanced itself from Benito Mussolini
and Fascism
and made efforts to improve relations with Jewish groups. With most hardliners leaving the party, it sought to present itself as a respectable conservative
party and to join forces with Forza Italia
in the European People's Party
and, eventually, in a united party of the centre-right.
Although the party approved market economy
and held favourable views on liberalization
s and the privatization
of state industries, however AN was to the left of Forza Italia on economic issues and sometimes supported statist
policies. That is why the party was strong in Rome
and Lazio, where most civil servants live. Moreover AN presents itself as a party promoting national cohesion, national identity
and patriotism
.
Regarding institutional reforms, the party was a long-time supporter of presidentialism and a plurality voting system
, and came to support also federalism
and to fully accept the alliance with Lega Nord, although the relations with that party were tense at times, especially about issues regarding national unity.
Gianfranco Fini
, a moderniser who sees Nicolas Sarkozy
and David Cameron
as models, impressed an ambitious political line to the party, combining the pillars of conservative ideology like security, family values and patriotism with a progressive approach in other areas such as stem cell
research and supporting voting rights for legal aliens. Anyway some of these positions were not shared by many members of the party, most of whom staunchly opposed stem cell research and artificial insemination
.
In the party there was also a group named Ethic-Religious Council, whose board members included Gaetano Rebecchini (founder, ex-DC), Riccardo Pedrizzi (president), Franco Tofoni (vice president), Luigi Gagliardi (secretary-general), Alfredo Mantovano, Antonio Mazzocchi and Riccardo Migliori. This was not a faction but an official organism within the party and expressed the official position of the party on ethical and religious matters. Sometimes the group criticized Gianfranco Fini
for his liberal views on abortion, artificial insemination and stem-cell research, which led some notable ex-DC members as Publio Fiori
to leave the party. Some members of the Council, such as Pedrizzi and Mantovano were described as members of an unofficial Catholic Right faction.
and Southern Italy (Lazio 18.6%, Umbria
15.2%, Marche
14.3%, Abruzzo
14.3%, Puglia 13.2%, Sardinia
12.9%, Tuscany
12.6% and Campania
12.6% in the last general election
), scoring badly in Lombardy
(10.2%) and Sicily
(10.9%), while competing in the North-East (Friuli-Venezia Giulia
15.5% and Veneto
11.3%).
The party had a good showing in the first general election to which it took part (13.5% in 1994
) and reached 15.7% in 1996
, when Fini tried for the first time to replace Silvio Berlusconi
as leader of the centre-right. From that moment the party suffered an electoral decline, but remained the third force of Italian politics.
In the 2006 general election
, the final election to which the party participated with its own list, AN won 12.3% of the vote, securing 71 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 41 in the Senate. In the 2008 general election
the party got 90 deputies and 48 senators elected.
The electoral results of National Alliance in the 10 most populated Regions of Italy are shown in the table below.
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
political party in Italy.
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...
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
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 was succeeded by 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...
, who managed to merge the party into 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). This finally happened in 2009.
Foundation
National Alliance was formed in January 1994 when the Italian Social MovementItalian 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...
(MSI), the former neo-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...
party, merged with conservative elements of the former 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 ....
, which had disbanded in 1994 after two years of scandals and various splits due to corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
at its highest levels, exposed by the Mani Pulite
Mani pulite
Mani pulite was a nationwide Italian judicial investigation into political corruption held in the 1990s. Mani pulite led to the demise of the so-called First Republic, resulting in the disappearance of many parties. Some politicians and industry leaders committed suicide after their crimes were...
investigation, and the Italian Liberal Party
Italian Liberal Party
The Italian Liberal Party was a liberal political party in Italy.-Origins:The origins of liberalism in Italy came from the so-called "Historical Right", a parliamentary group formed by Camillo Benso di Cavour in the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sardinia following the 1848 revolution...
, disbanded in the same year. Former MSI members were however still the bulk of the new party and former MSI leader 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...
was elected leader of the new party.
The logo followed a template very similar to the Democratic Party of the Left
Democratic Party of the Left
The Democratic Party of the Left was a post-communist, democratic socialist political party in Italy.-History:...
, with the previous logo in a small circle, as a means of legally preventing others from using it. The name was suggested by an article on the Italian newspaper Il Tempo written in 1992 by Domenico Fisichella, a prominent conservative academic. Starting in the 1990s, the MSI gradually transformed into a mainstream right-wing
Right-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
party, culminating in its 1995 dissolution into AN.
Government participation
The party was part of all three House of FreedomsHouse 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 governments 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...
. Gianfranco Fini was notably nominated Deputy Prime Minister after 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....
and was Foreign Minister from November 2004 to May 2006.
When Gianfranco Fini visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in late November 2003 in the function of Italian Deputy Prime Minister, he labeled the racial laws issued by the fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
regime in 1938 as "infamous", as also Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante
Giorgio Almirante was an Italian politician, the founder and leader of the Italian Social Movement until his retirement in 1987.-Early life:...
, historic leader of MSI, had done before. He also referred to the Italian Social Republic
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic was a puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the Nation" and "Minister of Foreign Affairs" Benito Mussolini and his Republican Fascist Party. The RSI exercised nominal sovereignty in northern Italy but was largely dependent on the Wehrmacht to maintain control...
as belonging to the most shameful pages of the past, and considered fascism part of an era of "absolute evil", something which was hardly acceptable to the few remaining hardliners of the party. As a result, Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini
Alessandra Mussolini is an Italian politician, the granddaughter of Benito Mussolini, and previously an actress and model...
, the granddaughter of the former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, who had been at odds with the party on a number of issues for a long time, and some hardliners left the party and formed Social Action.
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...
, AN ran within the House of Freedoms, with new allies. The centre-right lost by 24,000 votes in favor of the centre-left coalition 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:...
. Individually AN received nearly 5 million votes, amounting to 12.3%. In July 2007 a group of splinters led by 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...
formed 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...
, which was officially founded on 10 November. Seven MPs of AN, including Teodoro Buontempo and Daniela Santanchè
Daniela Santanchè
Daniela Garnero Santanché is an Italian entrepreneur and a politician. She was Undersecretary to the Minister of Platform Accomplishment from 2010 to 2011 during Berlusconi IV Cabinet.-Studies and personal life:...
, joined the new party.
The People of Freedom
In November 2007 Silvio BerlusconiSilvio 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...
announced that Forza Italia would have soon merged or transformed into the 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) party.
After the sudden fall of the second Prodi government
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...
in January 2008, the breakup 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:...
and the subsequent political crisis which lead to a fresh general election, Berlusconi hinted that Forza Italia would have probably contested its last election and the new party would have been officially founded only after that election. In an atmosphere of reconciliation with Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi also stated that the new party could see the participation of other parties. Finally, on 8 February, Berlusconi and Fini agreed to form a joint list under the banner of the "The People of Freedom", allied with Lega Nord. After the victory of the PdL in 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...
, AN was merged into the PdL in early 2009.
Ideology
National Alliance's political program emphasized:- traditional valuesTraditionalist CatholicTraditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
, being often close to the position of the Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, despite some social liberalSocial liberalismSocial liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
and secularSecularismSecularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
attitudes; - law and orderLaw and order (politics)In politics, law and order refers to demands for a strict criminal justice system, especially in relation to violent and property crime, through harsher criminal penalties...
, especially laws aimed at controlling immigrationImmigrationImmigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and implementing punishmentPunishmentPunishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person or animal in response to behavior deemed wrong by an individual or group....
; - support for IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and European integrationEuropean integrationEuropean integration is the process of industrial, political, legal, economic integration of states wholly or partially in Europe...
; - prohibitionismProhibitionismProhibitionism is a legal philosophy and political theory often used in lobbying which holds that citizens will abstain from actions if the actions are typed as unlawful and the prohibitions are enforced by law enforcement...
about any kind of drugs, including marijuanaCannabis (drug)Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
.
Distinguishing itself from the MSI, the party distanced itself from Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and Fascism
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
and made efforts to improve relations with Jewish groups. With most hardliners leaving the party, it sought to present itself as a respectable conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
party and to join forces 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....
in 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, eventually, in a united party of the centre-right.
Although the party approved market economy
Market economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
and held favourable views on liberalization
Liberalization
In general, liberalization refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. In some contexts this process or concept is often, but not always, referred to as deregulation...
s and the privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of state industries, however AN was to the left of Forza Italia on economic issues and sometimes supported statist
Statism
Statism is a term usually describing a political philosophy, whether of the right or the left, that emphasises the role of the state in politics or supports the use of the state to achieve economic, military or social goals...
policies. That is why the party was strong in 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...
and Lazio, where most civil servants live. Moreover AN presents itself as a party promoting national cohesion, national identity
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
and patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
.
Regarding institutional reforms, the party was a long-time supporter of presidentialism and a plurality voting system
Plurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
, and came to support also federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
and to fully accept the alliance with Lega Nord, although the relations with that party were tense at times, especially about issues regarding national unity.
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...
, a moderniser who sees Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
and David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
as models, impressed an ambitious political line to the party, combining the pillars of conservative ideology like security, family values and patriotism with a progressive approach in other areas such as stem cell
Stem cell
This article is about the cell type. For the medical therapy, see Stem Cell TreatmentsStem cells are biological cells found in all multicellular organisms, that can divide and differentiate into diverse specialized cell types and can self-renew to produce more stem cells...
research and supporting voting rights for legal aliens. Anyway some of these positions were not shared by many members of the party, most of whom staunchly opposed stem cell research and artificial insemination
Artificial insemination
Artificial insemination, or AI, is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse or natural insemination...
.
Factions
National Alliance was a heterogeneous political party and within it members were divided in different factions, some of them very organized:- Protagonist RightProtagonist RightProtagonist Right was a liberal-conservative faction within National Alliance, a political party in Italy.It was founded in July 1999 by the followers of Giuseppe Tatarella, who had died in February of that year...
(Destra Protagonista), headed by Maurizio GasparriMaurizio GasparriMaurizio 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...
and Ignazio La RussaIgnazio La RussaIgnazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician . He became Minister of Defence in the fourth cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi on 8 May 2008...
, was the bigger faction and the closest to Forza ItaliaForza ItaliaForza 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....
, due to its liberal-conservativeLiberal conservatismLiberal conservatism also known as progressive conservatism is a variant of political conservatism which incorporates liberal elements. As "conservatism" and "liberalism" have had different meanings over time and across countries, the term "liberal conservatism" has been used in quite different...
stances. - New AllianceNew Alliance (Italy)New Alliance was a liberal-conservative faction within National Alliance, a political party in Italy.It was founded in December 2001 by Domenico Matteoli, Cristiana Muscardini, Adolfo Urso and Domenico Nania, who were at the time the stauchest supporters of the leadership of Gianfranco Fini...
(Nuova Alleanza), formerly called Right and Freedom (Destra e Libertà), headed by Altero MatteoliAltero MatteoliAltero 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:*...
and Adolfo Urso, was formed by the staunchest supporters of Gianfranco FiniGianfranco FiniGianfranco 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...
within the party and supported a 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,...
political agenda. - Social RightSocial RightSocial 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...
(Destra Sociale), led by Gianni Alemanno, advocated a more "social" approach to economic policy and was considered at the right of the party. It had close ties with the General Labour Union. - D-Destra, led by Francesco StoraceFrancesco StoraceFrancesco 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...
, was the most conservative component of the party, proud of the MSI's tradition and in open opposition to Fini. Formed as a split from the Social Right, in July 2007 the group finally left AN and launched The RightThe RightThe 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...
. - Christian ReformistsChristian ReformistsThe Christian Reformists are a Christian-democratic faction within The People of Freedom, a political party in Italy....
(Cristiano Riformisti) was a minor 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...
faction.
In the party there was also a group named Ethic-Religious Council, whose board members included Gaetano Rebecchini (founder, ex-DC), Riccardo Pedrizzi (president), Franco Tofoni (vice president), Luigi Gagliardi (secretary-general), Alfredo Mantovano, Antonio Mazzocchi and Riccardo Migliori. This was not a faction but an official organism within the party and expressed the official position of the party on ethical and religious matters. Sometimes the group criticized 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...
for his liberal views on abortion, artificial insemination and stem-cell research, which led some notable ex-DC members as Publio Fiori
Publio Fiori
Publio Fiori is an Italian politician.-Career:Fiori was born in Rome and graduated in jurisprudence. He became a member of Democrazia Cristiana , to which he belonged for much of his political career....
to leave the party. Some members of the Council, such as Pedrizzi and Mantovano were described as members of an unofficial Catholic Right faction.
Popular support
The party had roughly 10-15% support across Italy, having its stongholds in CentralCentral Italy
Central Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency...
and Southern Italy (Lazio 18.6%, Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
15.2%, Marche
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
14.3%, Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
14.3%, Puglia 13.2%, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
12.9%, Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
12.6% and Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
12.6% in the last 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...
), scoring badly in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
(10.2%) and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(10.9%), while competing in the North-East (Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
15.5% and Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
11.3%).
The party had a good showing in the first general election to which it took part (13.5% in 1994
Italian general election, 1994
An early national general election was held in Italy on March 27, 1994 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right alliance won handily the election for the Chamber and only narrowly lost that for the Senate....
) and reached 15.7% in 1996
Italian general election, 1996
An early national general election was held in Italy on 21 April, 1996 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic...
, when Fini tried for the first time to replace 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...
as leader of the centre-right. From that moment the party suffered an electoral decline, but remained the third force of Italian politics.
In 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...
, the final election to which the party participated with its own list, AN won 12.3% of the vote, securing 71 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 41 in the Senate. In 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 party got 90 deputies and 48 senators elected.
The electoral results of National Alliance in the 10 most populated Regions of Italy are shown in the table below.
| 1994 general | 1995 regional | 1996 general | 1999 European | 2000 regional | 2001 general | 2004 European | 2005 regional | 2006 general | |
| Piedmont | 8.3 | 11.2 | 12.1 | 7.5 | 11.9 | 9.2 | 8.8 | 9.5 | 11.8 |
| Lombardy | 5.8 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 9.7 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 8.7 | 10.2 |
| Veneto | 7.7 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 8.1 | 11.3 |
| Emilia-Romagna | 9.0 | 10.3 | 11.5 | 8.6 | 11.4 | 9.7 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 10.2 |
| Tuscany | 10.9 | 13.1 | 15.8 | 10.9 | 14.9 | 13.0 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 12.6 |
| Lazio | 25.3 | 24.5 | 28.9 | 20.3 | 23.1 | 20.4 | 18.4 | 23.9 | 18.6 |
| Campania | 20.3 | 18.3 | 18.7 | 10.7 | 11.2 | 13.1 | 13.2 | 10.6 | 12.6 |
| Apulia | 27.5 | 20.4 | 17.9 | 12.7 | 15.5 | 15.3 | 16.0 | 12.1 | 13.2 |
| Calabria | 17.2 | 16.3 | 23.4 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 15.2 | 15.5 | 9.9 | 11.0 |
| Sicily | 14.0 | 14.1 (1996) | 16.4 | 12.1 | 11.3 (2001) | 10.7 | 14.5 | 10.6 (2006) | 10.9 |
| ITALY | 13.5 | - | 15.7 | 10.3 | - | 12.0 | 11.3 | - | 12.3 |
Leadership
- President: Gianfranco FiniGianfranco FiniGianfranco 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...
(1995–2008), Ignazio La RussaIgnazio La RussaIgnazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician . He became Minister of Defence in the fourth cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi on 8 May 2008...
(regent, 2008–2009)- Coordinator: Maurizio GasparriMaurizio GasparriMaurizio 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...
(1995–1998), Ignazio La RussaIgnazio La RussaIgnazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician . He became Minister of Defence in the fourth cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi on 8 May 2008...
(2003–2005) - Spokesman: Francesco StoraceFrancesco StoraceFrancesco 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...
(1995–1997), Adolfo Urso (1997–2001), Antonio Landolfi (2001–2005), Andrea RonchiAndrea RonchiAndrea Ronchi is an Italian politician, former Italian Minister of Community Policy.-Biography:Andrea Ronchi was born in Perugia, Umbria. He graduated in political science and worked as a journalist. He was a founding member of the National Alliance party.In 2001, he joined the House of...
(2005–2009) - Head of Political Secretariat: Donato Lamorte (1995–2002), Andrea RonchiAndrea RonchiAndrea Ronchi is an Italian politician, former Italian Minister of Community Policy.-Biography:Andrea Ronchi was born in Perugia, Umbria. He graduated in political science and worked as a journalist. He was a founding member of the National Alliance party.In 2001, he joined the House of...
(2002–2004), Carmelo Briguglio (2002–2004), Donato Lamorte (2004–2009)
- Coordinator: Maurizio Gasparri
- President of National Assembly: Domenico Fisichella (1995–2005), Marcello Perina (2005–2006), Francesco Servello (2006–2009)
- Organizational Coordinator: Giuseppe Tatarella (1995–1998), Altero MatteoliAltero MatteoliAltero 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:*...
(1998–2002), Donato Lamorte (2002–2004), Italo BocchinoItalo BocchinoItalo Bocchino is an Italian politician and journalist.-Biography:Bocchino was born at Naples, and in his youth he was a members of the Italian Social Movement and worked as a spokesman for the member of parliament Giuseppe Tatarella, and subsequently as a journalist for Il Secolo d'Italia.In...
(2004–2005), Marco Martinelli (2005–2009) - Administrative Secretary: Francesco Pontone (1995–2009)
- Party Leader at the Chamber of DeputiesItalian Chamber of DeputiesThe 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...
: Raffaele Valensise (1994–1995), Giuseppe Tatarella (1995–1998), Gustavo Selva (1998–2001), Ignazio La RussaIgnazio La RussaIgnazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician . He became Minister of Defence in the fourth cabinet of Silvio Berlusconi on 8 May 2008...
(2001–2003), Gian Franco Anedda (2003–2004), Iganzio La Russa (2004–2008), Italo BocchinoItalo BocchinoItalo Bocchino is an Italian politician and journalist.-Biography:Bocchino was born at Naples, and in his youth he was a members of the Italian Social Movement and worked as a spokesman for the member of parliament Giuseppe Tatarella, and subsequently as a journalist for Il Secolo d'Italia.In...
(deputy-leader of PdL's group, 2008–2009) - Party Leader at the SenateItalian SenateThe 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...
: Giulio Maceratini (1994–2001), Domenico Nania (2001–2006), Altero MatteoliAltero MatteoliAltero 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:*...
(2006–2008), Maurizio GasparriMaurizio GasparriMaurizio 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...
(leader of PdL's group, 2008–2009) - Party Leader at the European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
: Cristiana MuscardiniCristiana MuscardiniCristiana Muscardini is an Italian politician andMember of the European Parliamentfor North-Westwith People of Freedom ,...
(1994–2004), Roberta AngelilliRoberta AngelilliRoberta Angelilli is an Italian politician andMember of the European Parliamentfor Centralwith the Alleanza Nazionale, part of the Union for a Europe of Nations and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.She is a substitute for the Committee on...
(2004–2009)