The Liberal PD (Liberal PD) is a social-liberal faction within the Democratic Party (PD), a political party in Italy.
It was launched on 26 January 2008 by Senator Enzo Bianco (ex-Republican and ex-DL), former Minister Franco Bassanini (ex-Socialist and ex-DS), Senator Valerio Zanone (former leader of the Italian Liberal Party and ex-DL) and Senator Enrico Morando (leader of Liberal DS).[1] Walter Veltroni, PD leader, attended the convention.[2] The aim of the group is to provide liberal ideas for the party.
More than 40 leading members of PD signed the "Liberal" Manifesto. Most of the former Republicans within the party, including Antonio Maccanico, Stefano Passigli, Giorgio Bogi (former leader of Republican Left), Giuseppe Ossorio (former leader of the Democratic Republicans), Adolfo Battaglia, Andrea Manzella and Massimo Livi Bacci, and of the former Liberals, including Valerio Zanone, Beatrice Rangoni Machiavelli, Patron of the Liberal International, Andrea Marcucci and those organized in the Liberal Left, joined the faction. Also many former Socialists, including Giuliano Amato, Linda Lanzillotta, Franco Bassanini, Enrico Manca and Salvo Andò, and Greens, including Paolo Gentiloni, Gianni Vernetti and Sandro Battisti, joined.[3][4][5]
Some Liberal PD leaders are observer members of the Liberal International through the Italian Liberal Group.[6][7]
Liberal PD members were generally keen supporters of Walter Veltroni's leadership, even if some are closer to Francesco Rutelli. In the 2009 Democratic Party leadership election the faction supported Dario Franceschini.[8][9] In April 2010 Zanone joined Alliance for Italy, the new party formed by Rutelli in November 2009[10] and, thus, his position as honorary president of Liberal PD may change.