Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2007

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On October 14, 2007 a national primary election was held throughout Italy in order to elect the first leader of the founding Democratic Party. The election was conducted as an open primary, with all Italian citizens aged at least 16 and non-Italian legal residents being eligible to vote. A minimum fee of one euro (initially chosen as five euros, lowered to one euro following direct requests by almost all leadership candidates) was requested to voters in order to taker part in the election.

The election, attended by over three and a half million voters, ended in a landslide victory for incumbent Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni who achieved circa 75% of the national votes, being thus elected as first Democratic Party leader.[1]

Contents

[edit] Events

Following the national conventions of the Democrats of the Left and Democracy is Freedom – Daisy, Romano Prodi announced a list of 45 politicians which would have composed the Organizing Committee of the Democratic Party. All members successively met on June 18, 2007 in order to decide the rules regarding the election of the first leader and the 2,400 members of the Constituting Assembly. A method was chosen in order to associate lists with leadership candidates. In order to run into the election, a number of 100 signatures were needed, whereas at least 2,000 approved signatures were requested to run into the leadership race.

[edit] Leadership race

July 30, 2007 was the deadline for presenting leadership candidacies. All candidates were requested to be clearly associated with the Democratic Party project, as either members of the political subjects forming it or with no party association at all.

On the July 30 deadline, a total of ten candidates officially registered their candidacy: Walter Veltroni, Rosy Bindi, Enrico Letta, Furio Colombo, Marco Pannella, Antonio Di Pietro, Mario Adinolfi, Pier Giorgio Gawronski, Jacopo Gavazzoli Schettini, Lucio Cangini and Amerigo Rutigliano. Of these, Pannella and Di Pietro were stopped because of their involvement in external parties, whereas Cangini and Rutigliano did not manage to present the necessary 2,000 valid signatures for the 9pm deadline, and Colombo's candidacy was instead made into hiatus in order to give him 48 additional hours to integrate the required documentation; Colombo later decided to retire his candidacy citing his impossibility to fit with all the requirements.[2] All rejected candidates had the chance against the decision in 48 hours' time,[3] with Pannella and Rutigliano being the only two candidates to appeal against it.[4] Both were rejected on 3 August.[5]

All polls predict a clear victory for Veltroni in the election, with results ranging from 65% to 75% circa.[6][7][8]

On September 26, 2007, Gavazzoli Schettini retired from the race due to his failure in building enough support for presenting a minimum of 25 supporting nationwide lists, and announced he was moving his support to Gawronski, running alongside him for the party leadership.[9]

[edit] Accepted candidacies

Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni

Walter Veltroni is the incumbent Mayor of Rome and a former Democrats of the Left leader.[10] His candidacy was publicly asked on June 20 by incumbent Democrats of the Left leader Piero Fassino publicly asked Walter Veltroni,[11] being suggested by several opinion polls suggesting Veltroni could potentially win hands down the leadership race.[12]

Veltroni officially announced his intention to run at a widely publicized rally in Turin on June 27.[13] He will run in a joint ticket with deputy-leadership candidate Dario Franceschini, Olive Tree speaker at the Chamber of Deputies.


Rosy Bindi
Rosy Bindi
Rosy Bindi

Rosaria "Rosy" Bindi is currently part of the Prodi II Cabinet as Minister of Family (a minister without portfolio) for Democracy is Freedom – Daisy.[10] She announced her candidacy on July 16.[14]


Enrico Letta
Enrico Letta
Enrico Letta

Enrico Letta is the incumbent undersecretary in the Prodi II Cabinet, and a Democracy is Freedom – Daisy leading member. 40-year-old Letta announced his candidacy via a video posted online on his personal website on July 24.[15]

Minor candidates
  • Mario Adinolfi, 35-year old journalist and blogger,[10] and supporter of direct democracy and higher involvement of young people in the national political scenario. He announced his intention to run on July 18 through his blog.[16]
  • Pier Giorgio Gawronski, 50-year old economist and Oxford graduate;[17][18]
  • Jacopo Gavazzoli Schettini, economist on CSR, director of the European Investment Agency, announced his candidacy on July 3.[10]

[edit] Rejected and withdrawn candidacies

Marco Pannella

Marco Pannella is a historical leader of the Italian Radicals.[10] He announced his intention to run for the party leadership on July 21, but this was refused by the Presidency Office. Despite this, Pannella kept on campaigning for his candidacy and received support from Minister of International Commerce and fellow Radical Emma Bonino, who offered herself to campaign as potential deputy leader.

Antonio Di Pietro

On the night of July 30, a few minutes shy of the deadline, incumbent Minister of Infrastructures and Italy of Values leader Antonio Di Pietro was officially unveiled as entering the race. His candidacy was however refused due to his commitments to Italy of Values.[18] [19]

Furio Colombo

Furio Colombo is an elected Senator for Democrats of the Left, and former editor-in-law for left-leaning newspaper L'Unità.[10] He announced his candidacy on July 15 with an article published on L'Unità itself.[20] His candidacy was initially made into hiatus by the Organizing Committee due to his failure in presenting the original copy of many of the requested 2,000 signatures. Colombo then announced his withdrawal from the competition, citing his impossibility to leave Rome in the days to come due to his Senate commitments.[2]

Minor candidates
  • Lucio Cangini, former Mayor of Sarsina and local Democrats of the Left councilman.[10] He will not however run in the leadership race after having failed to hand over a minimum of 2,000 valid signatures in support of his candidacy.[18]
  • Amerigo Rutigliano, leader of minor movement Unità Democratica Sinistra Europea (Democratic Union - European Left).[21] He however handed over the necessary signatures with a 30 minutes delay with respect to the 9pm deadline, and his candidacy was therefore rejected.[18]

[edit] Results

Official results[22]

Candidate Total Lists
Votes % Seats Name Votes % Seats
Walter Veltroni 2,694,721 75.82 2322 Democratici con Veltroni 1,553,946 43.72 1493
Con Veltroni. Ambiente, innovazione, lavoro 286,811 8.07 172
A Sinistra con Veltroni 272,111 7.66 226
Other lists 581,853 16.37 430
Rosy Bindi 459,398 12.93 312 Con Rosy Bindi. Democratici, davvero 459,398 12.93 312
Enrico Letta 391,775 11.02 220 I democratici per Enrico Letta 391,775 11.02 220
Mario Adinolfi 5,924 0.17 0 Generazione U 5,924 0.17 0
Pier Giorgio Gawronski (and Jacopo G. Schettini) 2,351 0.07 0 Gawronski. Il coraggio di cambiare and Noi per il Partito Democratico 2,351 0.08 0
Total 3,554,169 100.0 2853 Total 3,554,169 100.0 2853

[edit] Opinion polling

Polling Firm Date Candidates Link
Veltroni Bindi Letta Adinolfi Schettini Gawronski
IPSOS October 12, 2007 70.0–73.0 17.0–19.0 7.0–9.0 0.7–1.4 – 0.3–0.6 [1]
EKMA Srl October 10 74.0 14.0 8.0 1.0 0.4 0.4 [2]
IPSOS October 9 73.0–76.0 12.0–15.0 8.0–11.0 0.4–1.2 0.1–0.4 0.5–1.4 [3]
Gipieffe SpA October 5 78.2 10.4 9.5 0.4 1.1 0.4 [4]
EKMA Srl October 2 73.0 15.0 7.0 1.5 0.2 0.5 [5]
IPSOS September 28 75.0–78.0 11.0–14.0 7.0–10.0 0.9–1.7 0.2–0.5 0.9–1.8 [6]
EKMA Srl September 26 73.0 16.0 6.0 1.5 0.2 0.1 [7]
ISPO September 24 69.0 12.0 5.0 – – – [8]
EKMA Srl September 19 70.0 18.0 7.5 2.5 0.3 0.3 [9]
EKMA Srl September 11 70.0 17.0 7.0 3.0 0.5 0.5 [10]
EKMA Srl September 5 68.0 15.0 9.0 3.0 – – [11]
SWG August 26 75.0 8.0 7.0 0.5 0.5 0.5 [12]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Italy's Veltroni elected new centre-left party's leader: projections. AFP (2007-10-14). Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
  2. ^ a b PD: COLOMBO RITIRA CANDIDATURA (Italian). La Repubblica (2007-08-01). Retrieved on 2007-08-01.
  3. ^ PD: BOCCIATE CANDIDATURE DI PIETRO E PANNELLA (Italian). ANSA (2007-07-31). Retrieved on 2007-07-31.
  4. ^ PD: COLLEGIO GARANTI DECIDERA' DOMANI SU PANNELLA (Italian). ANSA (2007-08-02). Retrieved on 2007-08-03.
  5. ^ L'Unione Sarda
  6. ^ Ekma SRL (2007-09-11). Le primarie del Partito Democratico (Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  7. ^ Ekma SRL (2007-09-05). Le primarie del PD (Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  8. ^ SWG (2007-08-31). Le elezioni primarie del Partito Democratico (Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
  9. ^ "Pd, la corsa a due degli economisti. I candidati per le primarie restano cinque", La Repubblica, 2007-09-26. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. (Italian) 
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Pd, Letta e Pannella fra i possibili 8 sfidanti", Corriere Canadese, 2007-07-23. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. (Italian) 
  11. ^ "Pd: Fassino «Veltroni si candidi a segreteria»", Corriere della Sera, 2007-06-20. Retrieved on 2007-06-21. (Italian) 
  12. ^ Ekma SRL - Sondaggi Politico Elettorali (2007-06-13). Sondaggio Politico-Elettorale - Il Comitato dei 45 (Italian). Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
  13. ^ "Italy's Left Looks Beyond Prodi", The Guardian, 2007-06-27. Retrieved on 2007-06-27. 
  14. ^ "Rosy Bindi si candida alla segreteria del Pd", La Repubblica, 2007-07-16. Retrieved on 2007-07-16. (Italian) 
  15. ^ "Pd: Letta si candida via web, "riconquistare la parola libertà"", 2007-07-24. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. (Italian) 
  16. ^ "Pd, si candida l'outsider Mario Adinolfi", Corriere della Sera, 2007-07-18. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. (Italian) 
  17. ^ I magnifici nove (Italian). Il Messaggero. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
  18. ^ a b c d "Pd, in corsa anche Pannella e Di Pietro", Corriere della Sera, 2007-07-30. Retrieved on 2007-07-30. (Italian) 
  19. ^ Pd, in 6 per la leadership - Politica - tg24 - SKY Life
  20. ^ "Pd, Colombo sfiderà Veltroni «E ora Moretti si faccia vivo»", Corriere della Sera, 2007-07-15. Retrieved on 2007-07-15. (Italian) 
  21. ^ LA DICHIARAZIONE DI INTENTI DI AMERIGO RUTIGLIANO (Italian). Ulivo.it. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
  22. ^ Riepilogo Nazionale del voto alle liste (Italian). Partito Democratico. Retrieved on 2007-10-19.

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