The New Pole for Italy ( it, Nuovo Polo per l'Italia, NPI), better known as the Third Pole (') and less frequently as Pole of the Nation ('), was a

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 ...

coalition of parties in Italy active from late 2010 to sometime in 2012. The NPI was founded on 15 December 2010 both as an alternative to the centre-right coalition between

The People of Freedom The People of Freedom ( it, Il Popolo della Libertà, PdL) was a centre-right political party in Italy. The PdL, launched by Silvio Berlusconi on 18 November 2007, was initially a federation of political parties, notably including Forza Italia a ...

and Lega Nord led by

Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi ( ; ; born 29 September 1936) is an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies f ...

, and to the

centre-left coalition The centre-left coalition ( it, coalizione di centro-sinistra) is an alliance of political parties in Italy active, under several forms and names, since 1995 when The Olive Tree was formed under the leadership of Romano Prodi. The centre-left ...

between the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

and

Italy of Values Italy of Values ( it, Italia dei Valori, IdV) is a populist and anti-corruption political party in Italy. The party was founded in 1998 by former '' Mani pulite'' prosecutor Antonio Di Pietro, who entered politics in 1996 and finally left the p ...

, led by Pier Luigi Bersani. Most NPI members were former supporters of Berlusconi, but there is also a relevant group of disillusioned Democrats. The constituent members of the coalition were the Union of the Centre (leader:

Pier Ferdinando Casini Pier Ferdinando Casini (; born 3 December 1955) is an Italian politician. He served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006. Casini is the honorary president of the Centrist Democrat International and the Inter-Parliamentary ...

Future and Freedom Future and Freedom ( it, Futuro e Libertà), whose full name was Future and Freedom for Italy (''Futuro e Libertà per l'Italia'', abbreviated to FLI), was a political party in Italy, comprising both liberal and national conservative elements. F ...

( Gianfranco Fini),

Alliance for Italy Alliance for Italy ( it, Alleanza per l'Italia; ApI) was a centrist political party in Italy. The party, which was described in its manifesto as "democratic, liberal, popular" as opposed both to "right-wing populism" and the "social-democratic l ...

(

Francesco Rutelli Francesco Rutelli (born 14 June 1954) is an Italian journalist and former politician, who is the president of ''Anica'', National Association of Film and Audiovisual Industry, since October 2016. He also chairs the "Centro per un Futuro Sostenib ...

) and the

Movement for the Autonomies The Movement for Autonomy ( it, Movimento per l'Autonomia, MpA) is a regionalist, Christian-democratic political party in Italy, based in Sicily. The MpA, whose founder and leader is Raffaele Lombardo, demands economic development, greater autono ...

( Raffaele Lombardo). The NPI, which was never an electoral coalition, was disbanded sometime in 2012, after Casini announced that he was no longer interested in the project. Rutelli's ApI even returned to the centre-left and one of its members, Bruno Tabacci, decided to run in the

2012 Italian centre-left primary election The 2012 Italian centre-left primary election determined the leader of the coalition Italy. Common Good, who will stand as common candidate for the office of Prime Minister in the subsequent general election, which took place on 24–25 February 2 ...

. In September 2012

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (; born 31 August 1947) is an Italian businessman, former Chairman of Ferrari, and formerly Chairman of Fiat S.p.A. and President of Confindustria and FIEG. He comes from an aristocratic family from the region of Piedmo ...

announced that he would take part through his Future Italy association to the formation o a new "popular, reform and authentically liberal force" which would hegemonize the

political centre 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 the ...

of Italian politics, in dialogue with "responsible people" of the established parties. Casini and Fini responded by proposing a joint "List for Italy" without party symbols. In January 2013, after Mario Monti had announced his intention to step in into politics, Future Italy and other groups formed Civic Choice with direct support from Monti. Subsequently, Civic Choice, UdC and FLI joined forces in the With Monti for Italy coalition.

Composition

References

{{Historical Italian political parties Defunct political party alliances in Italy 2010 establishments in Italy 2012 disestablishments in Italy Political parties established in 2010 Political parties disestablished in 2012

Composition

Further reading

References