European Democracy ( it, Democrazia Europea, DE) was a minor
Christian-democratic
Christian democracy (sometimes named Centrist democracy) is a political ideology that emerged in 19th-century Europe under the influence of Catholic social teaching and neo-Calvinism.
It was conceived as a combination of modern democratic ...
,
centrist
Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to Left-w ...
political party in Italy
This article contains a list of political parties in Italy since Italian unification in 1861.
Throughout history, numerous political parties have been operating in Italy, and since World War II no party has ever gained enough support to govern ...
.
History
European Democracy was founded in 2001 by
Sergio D'Antoni (former leader of the
Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions
The Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori (''CISL''; ''Italian Confederation of Trade Unions'') is an Italian trade union association representing various Catholic–inspired groups linked with Christian Democracy.
It was founded on 30 Apr ...
),
Giulio Andreotti and
Ortensio Zecchino
Ortensio Zecchino (born 20 April 1943) is an Italian academic and politician, former Minister of University and Research.
Biography
After teaching History of Medieval Institutions at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples, Zecchino jo ...
, all three splitters from the
Italian People's Party. Many ex-members of
Lega Nord, including
Vito Gnutti
Vito Gnutti (14 September 1939 – 6 December 2008) was an Italian politician.
Biography
A member of the Executive Committee of Confindustria, in 1991 Gnutti joined the Northern League. He has been MP from 1992 to 2001 and in 1994 he served as ...
(former Minister of Industry) and
Domenico Comino
Domenico Comino (born 27 September 1955) is an Italian politician, who served as the minister of European affairs and state minister in the mid-1990s.
Biography
Comino was born in Morozzo on 27 September 1955. He is one of the former leaders of ...
(and floor leader in the
Chamber of Deputies).
In the
2001 general election the party scored 2.3% on a stand-alone list, winning only two seats in the
Senate.
In December 2002 it was merged with the
Christian Democratic Centre
The Christian Democratic Centre ( it, Centro Cristiano Democratico, CCD) was a Christian-democratic political party in Italy from 1994 to 2002. Formed from a right-wing split from Christian Democracy, the party joined the centre-right coalition, a ...
and the
United Christian Democrats
The United Christian Democrats ( it, Cristiani Democratici Uniti, CDU) was a minor Christian democratic political party in Italy. The CDU was a member of the European People's Party from 1995 until 2002.
History
The party was started in 1995 by s ...
to form the
Union of Christian and Centre Democrats
The Union of the Centre ( it, Unione di Centro, UdC), whose complete name is "Union of Christian and Centre Democrats" (''Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democratici di Centro'', UDC), is a Christian-democratic political party in Italy. Lore ...
(UDC).
became vice-secretary of the new party.
Electoral results
Italian Parliament
References
{{Historical Italian political parties
Political parties disestablished in 2001
Christian democratic parties in Italy
Centrist parties in Italy
Political parties established in 2000
Defunct Christian political parties
2000 establishments in Italy
Defunct political parties in Italy
2001 disestablishments in Italy
Giulio Andreotti
Catholic political parties