New Italy (faction)

New Italy (Nuova Italia) is a national and social-conservative think tank.

Its president is Gianni Alemanno, a post-fascist politician who had been minister of Agriculture (2001–2006) and mayor of Rome (2008–2013). New Italy was affiliated to The People of Freedom (PdL), a broad centre-right party led by Silvio Berlusconi, until October 2013, when Alemanno left the party to launch Italy First.

Alemanno was one of the two main leaders of Social Right, a faction within National Alliance (AN), along with Francesco Storace.[1] They represented the party's nostalgic right-wing. In 2007 Alemanno divorced from Storace because of the latter's opposition of Gianfranco Fini's leadership within the party, the party's application to become a member of the European People's Party and its proposed merged with Forza Italia to form the PdL.[2][3] While Storace chose to leave the party to form The Right to the right of AN, Alemanno threw his weight behind Fini and launched New Italy as a cultural association instead.[4]

Since its foundation, the cornerstones of New Italy had been those of the late Social Right: a strong Italian identity (with a clear reference to the tradition of the Italian Social Movement), disillusionment with globalization, social market economy, a "social" view of welfare and pacifism.[5] Despite his post-fascist past, Alemanno tended to be a moderate figure within the PdL, thanks to his converging views with the party's Christian democrats on moral and social issues.[6]

Within the PdL, New Italy organized the so-called New Italy Circles, which were the political/factional arm of the association. In 2010 they staunchly supported the leadership of Silvio Berlusconi and opposed the moves of Generation Italy, the minority faction around Gianfranco Fini. In this respect the faction was in collaboration with the two other main groups coming from National Alliance which were loyal to Berlusconi, Protagonist Italy (leaders: Maurizio Gasparri, Ignazio La Russa) and Foundation of Freedom (leader: Altero Matteoli), along with some minor groups (Christian Reformists, Movement for Italy, etc.).[7][8][9]

In 2011 Alemanno became more critical of Berlusconi. In September New Italy organized a three-day convention during which Alemanno outlined its plan for Italy and the PdL. At the top of his agenda, there were the introduction of primaries at all levels in the PdL and the reduction of Lega Nord's role within the coalition.[10]

In 2012, while still being part of the PdL, the faction presented its own lists in a few municipalities in Southern Italy, gaining a notable 14.2% in Fasano, Apulia.[11]

In October 2013 Alemanno, who was defeated in his mayoral re-election bid, left the PdL.[12] A few days later, he launched a new political party called Italy First.[13][14] In doing this, he was actively supported by New Italy,[15][16] which contributed to the draft of the party's founding manifesto.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "An, parte la sfida per contare di più nel Polo". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  2. ↑ "Storace: Fini vuole trasformarci nella Dc". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Alemanno: ora ristrutturiamo il Polo Duello con Storace sul "piano-Fini"". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  5. ↑ "Documento di indirizzo tecnico-scientifico". Fondazione Nuova Italia. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  6. ↑ "Fine vita, Bondi apre. E i laici: ora si cambi la legge". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ http://www.ilpredellino.it/online/prima-pagina/78-articoli/2754-piu-unito-il-pdl-piu-forte-litalia
  9. ↑ "Più unito il Pdl, più forte l'Italia. Idee e valori per la sfida del cambiamento" (in Italian). RadioRadicale.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  10. ↑ "L' apertura di Alfano "Pronti a cambiare la legge elettorale"". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  11. ↑ "Corriere della Sera". Corriere.it. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  12. ↑ "Alemanno dice addio al Pdl: "Mercoledì aderisco a Officina per l'Italia" - Il Messaggero". Ilmessaggero.it. 2014-06-16. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  13. ↑ 14 ottobre 2013. "In pista "Prima l'Italia", Alemanno chiama a raccolta i delusi del centrodestra". Il Sole 24 ORE. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  14. ↑ "Alemanno lancia Prima l'Italia: "Recuperiamo identità per uscire dalla crisi" - Il Messaggero". Ilmessaggero.it. 2014-06-16. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  15. ↑ "Fondazione Nuova Italia". Fondazione Nuova Italia. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  16. ↑ "Per un nuovo centrodestra: prima l'Italia". Fondazione Nuova Italia. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
  17. ↑ http://www.fondazionenuovaitalia.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DOCUMENTO-PRIMA-lITALIA.pdf

External links