Union for Trentino

Union for Trentino
Unione per il Trentino
Leader Lorenzo Dellai
Secretary Donatella Conzatti
President Andrea Tomasi
Founded 7 June 2008
Preceded by Daisy Civic List
Headquarters via Lunelli, 64
38100 Trento
Newspaper none
Membership  (2014) 1,500[1]
Ideology Regionalism[2]
Centrism[2]
Christian democracy[2]
Social conservatism[3]
National affiliation Alliance for Italy (2009–12)
Civic Choice (2012–13)
Populars for Italy (2013–14)
Solidary Democracy (2014–present)
International affiliation none
European affiliation none
European Parliament group no MEPs
Chamber of Deputies
1 / 630
Senate
1 / 319
European Parliament
0 / 73
Provincial Council
5 / 35
Website
http://www.unioneperiltrentino.it
Politics of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
Political parties
Elections

The Union for Trentino (Italian: Unione per il Trentino, UpT) is a regional Christian-democratic political party active in Trentino, Italy. The party has its roots in the experience of Daisy Civic List and was founded on 7 June 2008.

History

Background

Further information: Daisy Civic List

In the run-up of the 1998 provincial election Lorenzo Dellai formed the Daisy Civic List in order to unite Trentino centrists affiliated to the centre-left in a single political force. In 2000 Francesco Rutelli took the Daisy as an example when he launched Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL) at the national level. The Daisy Civic List became the provincial section of DL. In 2008, after that DL had merged with the Democrats of the Left in order to form the Democratic Party (PD), the Daisy divided itself among those who wanted to continue an autonomous path from national parties and those who wanted to establish the provincial section of the PD. The "regionalist" wing of the Daisy, led by Lorenzo Dellai, formed the UpT.

Foundation

After the defeat of the centre-left in Trentino in the 2008 general election,[4] the Daisy Civic List was divided among those who wanted to continue on the road toward the consolidation of the regionalist party and those who wanted to establish the provincial section of the Democratic Party (PD) along with the local Democrats of the Left.[5][6][7]

The Daisy thus suffered the separation of the "Democrats" from the "regionalists".[8] Lunelli, supported by former Senator Mauro Betta and eight provincial deputies out of twelve, decided to take part to the foundation of the regionalist party, while Senator Claudio Molinari and Deputy Letizia De Torre decided to join the PD.[9]

The new regionalist party, named Union for Trentino, was launched on 7 June,[10][11] while the provincial PD was established on 8 June with the primary election for the first provincial secretary: Alberto Pacher.[12] On 15 July Marco Tanas, a 35-year old former Socialist, was elected secretary of the party and Flavia Fontana president.[13]

In the 2008 provincial election Dellai was re-elected President of the Province. The UpT gained 17.9% of the vote and six seats, plus Dellai's, in the Provincial Council.[14]

From Alliance for Italy to the "party of Trentino"

In the autumn of 2009 the UpT played an active role at the national level. On 11 December Dellai was a founding member of Alliance for Italy, along with Francesco Rutelli, Linda Lanzillotta, Bruno Tabacci and Elvio Ubaldi.[15] Dellai was appointed by Rutelli national coordinator of the new party.

While he is increasingly engaged at the national level, Dellai is also active in Trentino and within the framework of the Euroregion Tyrol–South Tyrol–Trentino. In an interview he pressed forward toward a provincial federation with the Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (PATT) and the local Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC), while he also hinted that the UpT would form a sister party both in South Tyrol and in Tyrol. This project was called by Dellai "Party of Trentino".[16]

In February 2012, during a party congress, Flavia Fontana was elected new secretary by a large majority of party members.[17][18] Despite this and the "silence" of Silvano Grisenti (a former regional minister, convicted for corruption and later acquitted, who forced Vittorio Fravezzi's replacement and controlled 40% of the party's membership), the UpT seemed far from being united.[19] During the congress, the goal of a "Party of Trentino" was confirmed, but this time around, the two parties which were invited to merge with the UpT were the PATT and the regional section of the Democratic Party (PD).[20][21]

Playing a role in the national stage

In late December 2012 Dellai resigned from President of Trentino[22] in order to take part to the foundation of Civic Choice (SC), a centrist party led by Mario Monti.[23][24] Dellai was one of the leading figures of the new party and the UpT threw its weight behind him in this effort.[25]

In the 2013 general election the UpT formed the core of the SC list for the Chamber of Deputies: the newly formed party won 19.6% in Trentino[26] and Dellai was elected deputy.[27] For the Senate the UpT formed an alliance with the PD and the PATT: the alliance won all three single-seat constituencies of Trentino and UpT's Vittorio Fravezzi was elected senator in the constituency of Rovereto.[28] Dellai became floor leader of SC in the Chamber.[29]

In July the party suffered a setback in Trentino as its candidate in the centre-left primary election for President of Trentino, Mauro Gilmozzi, came third after the PATT's and the PD's candidates.[30] The party was thus not able to secure the succession of Dellai.

In the provincial election the UpT garnered 13.3%[31] and obtained 5 provincial councillors.[32] Trentino Project, set up by former UpT bigwig Silvano Grisenti, won 9.0%.

In April 2014 the outsider Donatella Conzatti defeated Corrado Buratti,[33] outgoing president and candidate of the party's old guard, to become the party's secretary.[1][34]

In the 2014 European Parliament election the UpT endorsed Herbert Dorfmann, top candidate of the South Tyrolean People's Party.[35][36] At the national level, in November 2013 Dellai left SC and was a founding member of the Populars for Italy (PpI), which he left in July 2014 to form Solidary Democracy (Demo.S).

Popular support

The electoral results of the UpT in Trentino since 2008 are shown in the table below.

2008 provinc.2009 European2013 general2013 provincial2014 European
17.9–19.6[37]13.312.2[38]

Leadership

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 La svolta dell’Upt Vince Conzatti - Cronaca - Trentino Corriere Alpi
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  3. ↑ Per la segreteria Upt è sfida Buratti-Conzatti - Cronaca - Trentino Corriere Alpi
  4. ↑ Ministero dell'Interno - Elezioni della Camera dei Deputati
  5. ↑ Alle Provinciali arriva il Pd Lunelli: "Sconfitta, colpa mia" | Trentino
  6. ↑ Pd, Pacher accelera "Subito le primarie" | Trentino
  7. ↑ La sindrome Illy attanaglia la Margherita | Trentino
  8. ↑ Pd, sarà il 15 giugno la data delle primarie | Trentino
  9. ↑ http://www.ladige.it/inc/class/easy_download.inc.php?path_file=/oggetti/2008_05&nome_file=LAMargherit.pdf
  10. ↑ Civica Margherita del Trentino
  11. ↑ l'Adige.it - Quotidiano Indipendente del Trentino Alto Adige
  12. ↑ Pd, boom di votanti Pacher vince col 70% | Trentino
  13. ↑ Unione, Dellai "incorona" Tanas | Trentino
  14. ↑ http://www.elezioni2008.provincia.tn.it/
  15. ↑ «Alleanza per l' Italia» Nasce il partito guidato da Rutelli
  16. ↑ http://trentinocorrierealpi.gelocal.it/dettaglio/dellai-chiude-lesperienza-upt-e-lancia-il-partito-del-trentino/2092681
  17. ↑ http://trentinocorrierealpi.gelocal.it/cronaca/2012/02/27/news/upt-fontana-e-il-nuovo-segretario-5657588
  18. ↑ Upt, è Flavia Fontana il nuovo segretario | L'Adige
  19. ↑ http://trentinocorrierealpi.gelocal.it/cronaca/2012/02/28/news/sorpresa-dall-upt-sono-spariti-i-grisentiani-5660327
  20. ↑ Notizia del 27.02.2012 | Unione per il Trentino
  21. ↑ Notizia del 29.02.2012 | Unione per il Trentino
  22. ↑ Notizia del 27.12.2012 | Unione per il Trentino
  23. ↑ Notizia del 24.12.2012 | Unione per il Trentino
  24. ↑ Notizia del 24.12.2012 | Unione per il Trentino
  25. ↑ Il Trentino, laboratorio dell’alleanza dem-Monti | Europa Quotidiano
  26. ↑ http://elezioni.interno.it/camera/scrutini/20130224/C060830000.htm
  27. ↑ http://elezioni.interno.it/camera/scrutini/20130224/C060000000.htm
  28. ↑ http://elezioni.interno.it/senato/scrutini/20130224/S040020000.htm
  29. ↑ http://trentinocorrierealpi.gelocal.it/cronaca/2013/03/19/news/dellai-eletto-capogruppo-di-scelta-civica-alla-camera-1.6728555
  30. ↑ http://www.corriere.it/politica/13_luglio_13/pd-primarie-trentino-rossi-in-testa_fa376650-ec05-11e2-8187-31118fc65ff2.shtml
  31. ↑ Elezioni 2013 - Provincia autonoma di Trento
  32. ↑ Elezioni 2013 - Provincia autonoma di Trento
  33. ↑ Congresso Upt, l’outsider Conzatti ci prova - Cronaca - Trentino Corriere Alpi
  34. ↑ lavocedeltrentino.it - Donatella Conzatti è il nuovo segretario dell' UPT
  35. ↑ Notizia del 02.05.2014 | Unione per il Trentino
  36. ↑ Dellai: «Dico no ad Alfano sì al sostegno a Dorfmann» - Cronaca - Trentino Corriere Alpi
  37. ↑ The party took part to the election as part of Civic Choice.
  38. ↑ Share of vote of the South Tyrolean People's Party, which included a candidate of the Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party and was endorsed by the UpT.

Sources

External links