The United Democratic Christians (Democratici Cristiani Uniti, DCU) is a tiny 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...

 Italian political party based in Puglia.

The party was founded by Giovanni Mongiello, an ex-Christian Democrat

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 ....

 who was Under-Secretary of Agricolture in 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...

, by a split from the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC) in 2004. Mongiello and his followers were basically former members of the United Christian Democrats

United Christian Democrats

The United Christian Democrats was a Christian democratic party in Italy.-History:It began in 1995 by a split of those members of the Italian People's Party who wanted to enter into an alliance with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia...

, who had opposed the merger into UDC of their party. Actually Mongiello was President of the Party of Christian Democracy

Party of Christian Democracy

The Party of Christian Democracy , whose members actually call it simply Christian Democracy , is a minor Christian-democratic Italian political party....

 until 2005 before launching his own party.

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 party was affiliated to 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:...

, the centre-left

Centre-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...

 coalition led by Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi

Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...

.