Christian Democracy (''Democrazia Cristiana'', DC), also known as Christian Democracy – Third Pole of the Centre (''Democrazia Cristiana – Terzo Polo di Centro''), is a minor

Christian-democratic Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well a ...

political party in Italy This is a list of political parties in Italy since Italian unification in 1861. Throughout history, numerous political parties have been operating in Italy. Since World War II no party has ever gained enough support to govern alone; thus, partie ...

. It was founded in July 2004 by

Angelo Sandri Angelo is an Italian masculine given name and surname meaning "angel", or "messenger". People People with the given name * Angelo Abenante (1927–2024), Italian trade unionist and politician * Angelo Accardi, Italian visual artist * Angelo Acc ...

following is expulsion from the

Christian Democracy Christian democracy is an ideology inspired by Christian social teaching to respond to the challenges of contemporary society and politics. Christian democracy has drawn mainly from Catholic social teaching and neo-scholasticism, as well ...

led by Giuseppe Pizza. Since then the party has taken part in long legal battles on the property of the symbol and the name of the original

with its rival party. In the 2007 local elections, the party formed a temporary alliance with the

Christian Democracy for Autonomies Christian Democracy for Autonomies (, DCA) was a minor Christian-democratic political party in Italy, led by Gianfranco Rotondi. Later incarnations of the party, also led by Rotondi, include Christian Revolution, Green is Popular and Christia ...

Gianfranco Rotondi Gianfranco Rotondi (born 25 July 1960) is an Italian politician. A member of the Italian Parliament since 1994, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1994 to 1996, from 2001 to 2006, and since 2008, as well as a member of the Senate of ...

, while in the 2008 general election it was part of the Union of the Centre alliance led by

Pier Ferdinando Casini Pier Ferdinando Casini (; born 3 December 1955) is an Italian politician. He served as President of the Chamber of Deputies (Italy), President of the Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006. Casini is the honorary president of the Centrist Democra ...

. Since then, it has regained its autonomy. In February 2012, the PDC was joined by Rebirth of Christian Democracy (RDC), whose leader

Carlo Senaldi Carlo Senaldi (7 November 1941 – 19 April 2025) was an Italian politician who served as a Deputy. He died on 19 April 2025, at the age of 83. References 1941 births 2025 deaths Italian politicians {{Italy-bio-stub ...

was appointed president of the party. On the occasion of the 2013 general election the Christian Democracy joined

Popular Agreement Popular Agreement (, IP) was a small political party in Italy led by Giampiero Catone. History Popular Agreement was founded in November 2012 by the deputy Giampiero Catone, member of the centre-right parliamentary group People and Territory. The ...

, the new party founded by

Giampiero Catone Giampiero Catone (born 1 June 1956 in Naples, Campania) is an Italian politician and journalist. Biography Giampiero Catone was born on 1 June 1956 in Naples. He graduated in Political Sciences at the D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara ...

. In July 2014 the Secretary Angelo Sandri has been disheartened by a part of the National Council and the President Anna Ciammetti was named commissioner of the party. However, Sandri did not accept the decision and expelled Ciammetti and her supporters from the party. In the

2019 European Parliament Election The 2019 European Parliament election was held in the European Union (EU) between 23 and 26 May 2019. It was the ninth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979. A total of 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) we ...

, the party joined the

Populars for Italy Populars for Italy (, PpI) is a Christian-democratic political party in Italy led by Mario Mauro, minister of Defence in Letta Cabinet and, previously, long-serving MEP for Forza Italia. History The party was launched in November 2013 by splin ...

list. On the occasion of the general elections of 2022, the DC joined the "

Us of the Centre Us of the Centre (, NDC), is a minor Christian-democratic political party in Italy based in Campania, where it is known also as Us Campanians (''Noi Campani''). Led by Clemente Mastella, Minister of Labour in Berlusconi I Cabinet (1994–1995), ...

–

Europeanists Europeanists () is a political party in Italy. Amid a government crisis triggered after Matteo Renzi announced that he would revoke Italia Viva's support to the government of Giuseppe Conte, Europeanists formed on 27 January 2021 as a component of ...

" list, led by

Clemente Mastella Mario Clemente Mastella (born 5 February 1947) is an Italian politician who has been the mayor of Benevento since 20 June 2016. He also served as leader of the Union of Democrats for Europe (UDEUR), a minor centrist and Christian-democratic I ...

.IL COMITATO DI COORDINAMENTO NAZIONALE DELLA DEMOCRAZIA CRISTIANA HA APPROVATO – PRESSOCHE ALL’UNANIMITA’ – L’ALLEANZA DELLA DEMOCRAZIA CRISTIANA CON “NOI DI CENTRO” ED EUROPEISTI IN VISTA DELLE ELEZIONI POLITICHE DEL 25 SETTEMBRE 2022.
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Leadership

*Secretary:

(2004–present)

References

External links

Official website
{{Italian political parties 2004 establishments in Italy Christian democratic parties in Italy Catholic political parties Political parties established in 2004