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Possible ( it, Possibile, Pos) is a left-wing
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 ...
, launched in Rome on 21 June 2015. The party's leader is Giuseppe Civati, a former prominent member of 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 ...
(PD). Possible's
progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...
platform is a mixture of social democracy,
democratic socialism Democratic socialism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing political philosophy that supports political democracy and some form of a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on economic democracy, workplace democracy, and workers' self- ...
, green politics, liberalism and elements of participatory democracy. Possible's logo, including an equals sign, refers to a fundamental issue for the party, equality, inflected in multiple fields such as the economy,
conflict of interest A conflict of interest (COI) is a situation in which a person or organization is involved in multiple interests, financial or otherwise, and serving one interest could involve working against another. Typically, this relates to situations i ...
, separation of powers,
anti-sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...
, LGBTI+ rights, and immigration. In late 2017, the party was a founding member of Free and Equal, a left-wing joint list for the 2018 general election, while it is currently part of the Greens and Left Alliance for the
2022 general election The following elections are scheduled to occur in 2022. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2022 United Nations Security Council election * 2022 national electoral calendar * 2022 local ...
.


History

In May 2015, after months of tensions with Prime Minister and party secretary Matteo Renzi, Civati chose to leave the PD. Civati, who had lost a bid to become leader of the party to Renzi in 2013, had long accused the Prime Minister of being a right-winger and moving the PD to the right or toward a centrist "party of the nation". Civati followed Luca Pastorino, a member of the
Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...
who was running, with Civati's support, for President in the 2015 Ligurian election and was instrumental in the defeat of the official Democratic candidate. Civati and Pastorino were joined by
Elly Schlein Elena Ethel "Elly" Schlein (; born 4 May 1985) is an Italian politician and the secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) since 12 March 2023. She is a member of Italy's Chamber of Deputies and was previously the vice-president of Emilia-Romagna an ...
, a member of the European Parliament sitting in the
Socialists and Democrats The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) is the political group in the European Parliament of the Party of European Socialists (PES). The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats was officially founded as a Socialist ...
' Group, and two more deputies, Andrea Maestri and Beatrice Brignone. At Possible's launch, Civati explained that it was intended to "have minimum bureaucracy, and membership will be light, participatory, horizontal" and aimed at unifying all the parties, groups and individuals to the left of the PD, including
Sergio Cofferati Sergio Cofferati (born 30 January 1948) is an Italian trade unionist and politician. Secretary general of CGIL from 1994 to 2002, Mayor of Bologna for the Democrats of the Left from 2004 to 2009 and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 20 ...
,
Stefano Fassina Stefano Fassina (born 17 April 1966) is an Italian economist and politician, member of the Chamber of Deputies and former member of the Italian Democratic Party. Since September 2018, he is the leader of the left-wing political association, Fath ...
,
Nichi Vendola Nicola "Nichi" Vendola (; born 26 August 1958) is an Italian left-wing politician and LGBT activist who was a Member of the Chamber of Deputies from Apulia from 1992 to 2005 and President of Apulia from 2005 to 2015. He is one of the first o ...
's Left Ecology Freedom (SEL), Maurizio Landini's Social Coalition, the
Greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...
and other environmentalists, etc., in a single party, with a potential support around 10% of the vote. Also representatives of the
Italian Radicals The Italian Radicals ( it, Radicali Italiani, RI) is a liberal and libertarian political party in Italy. Founded on 14 July 2001 with Daniele Capezzone as their first secretary, the party describes itself as "''liberale'', ''liberista'' nd''lib ...
, Green Italia, the
Communist Refoundation Party The Communist Refoundation Party ( it, Partito della Rifondazione Comunista, PRC) is a communist political party in Italy that emerged from a split of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) in 1991. The party's secretary is Maurizio Acerbo, who replac ...
, Free Alternative (AL) and
Italy Work in Progress Italy Work in Progress (''Italia Lavori in Corso'', ILC) was a centre-left political party in Italy, which has been active mainly as a sub-group within the Mixed Group of the Senate. Its leaders were Fabrizio Bocchino and Francesco Campanella. IL ...
(the latter two splinter groups from the
Five Star Movement The Five Star Movement ( it, Movimento 5 Stelle , M5S) is a political party in Italy. Its leader and president is Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy from 2018 until 2021. The M5S was founded on 4 October 2009 by Beppe Grillo, a comedian an ...
, M5S) showed up at Possible's first convention in Rome. In the run-up of the party's second convention, to be held in July in Florence, some media hinted that five deputies who had left the M5S, four of whom affiliated to AL and one to SEL, and four senators, including the two of Italy Work in Progress, were on the verge of joining Possible, which was thus close to the formation of a group in the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. In the meantime, while being open to a joint party with Civati, the two senators of Italy Work in Progress joined The Other Europe. As of November, Possible parted ways with most left-wing splinters of the PD, who had launched Future to the Left and joined Italian Left (SI), along with SEL and some left-wing splinters of the M5S. For his part, Civati looked interested in organising his party more "outside" than "inside the oliticalpalace". Consequently, Possible joined forces with AL, which was active also at the grassroots' level, and formed a joint sub-group within the Mixed Group of the Chamber. Shortly after, one deputy of AL,
Toni Matarrelli Toni, Toñi or Tóni is a unisex given name. In Spanish, Italian, Croatian and Finnish, it is a masculine given name used as a short form of the names derived from Antonius like Antonio, Ante or Anttoni. In Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegia ...
, directly joined Possible, becoming its fifth deputy. In January 2016 Civati was elected secretary of the party with 93.2% of the vote by party members. Between February and March 2017 Mattarelli left the party in order to join the Democratic and Progressive Movement (MDP), along with splinters from the PD and SI, while Possible chose to sever its ties with AL and team up with SI instead, by forming a joint group in the Chamber. In December 2017 Possible was a founding member, along with the MDP and SI, of Free and Equal (LeU), the left-wing joint list for the 2018 general election, which chose the President of the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
and former anti-Mafia prosecutor
Pietro Grasso Pietro Grasso (; born 1 January 1945), also known as Piero Grasso, is an Italian anti-mafia magistrate and politician who served as President of the Senate from 2013 to 2018. Grasso became the Acting President of Italy on 14 January 2015, upon th ...
as its leader and candidate for Prime Minister. In March 2018, following the electoral result below expectations, Civati resigned from secretary. In May Brignone was elected to replace him with 73.9% of the vote by party members, prevailing over
David Tozzo David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
with 26.1%. Subsequently, the party quit from LeU, while Tozzo left Possible to remain in LeU. In the run-up to the
2019 European Parliament election The 2019 European Parliament election was held between 23 and 26 May 2019, the ninth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979. A total of 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) represent more than 512 million peopl ...
the party formed, along with the Federation of the Greens and Green Italia, Green Europe (EV). In the run-up of the
2022 general election The following elections are scheduled to occur in 2022. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2022 United Nations Security Council election * 2022 national electoral calendar * 2022 local ...
the party joined the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS), earlier formed by SI and EV.


Ideology

The party, a strong supporter of secularism, calls for a new plan on civil rights (including same-sex marriage, LGBT adoption,
legalisation of cannabis The legality of cannabis for medical and recreational use varies by country, in terms of its possession, distribution, and cultivation, and (in regards to medical) how it can be consumed and what medical conditions it can be used for. These ...
and
euthanasia Euthanasia (from el, εὐθανασία 'good death': εὖ, ''eu'' 'well, good' + θάνατος, ''thanatos'' 'death') is the practice of intentionally ending life to eliminate pain and suffering. Different countries have different eut ...
), opposes
austerity Austerity is a set of political-economic policies that aim to reduce government budget deficits through spending cuts, tax increases, or a combination of both. There are three primary types of austerity measures: higher taxes to fund spend ...
policies, while supporting redistributive ones aimed at a more egalitarian society and is a vocal proponent of environmentalism. Civati, who describes himself both as a social democrat and a liberal (or, more precisely, a "left-wing liberal"), is also known for his stance for a more competitive free market. Possible's logo, including an equals sign, refers to a fundamental issue for the party, equality, inflected in multiple fields such as the economy,
conflict of interest A conflict of interest (COI) is a situation in which a person or organization is involved in multiple interests, financial or otherwise, and serving one interest could involve working against another. Typically, this relates to situations i ...
, separation of powers,
anti-sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls.There is a clear and broad consensus among academic scholars in multiple fields that sexism refers primaril ...
, LGBT rights, and immigration. The party's name is reminiscent of the slogan " Yes We Can", used by Barack Obama during the
2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries From January 3 to June 3, 2008, voters of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party chose their nominee for President of the United States, president in the 2008 United States presidential election. United States Senate, Senato ...
, "The party of possibilities", title of the motion supporting Civati in the 2013 Democratic Party leadership election, and Podemos, a kin political party in Spain.


Election results


Italian Parliament


European Parliament


Leadership

*Secretary: Giuseppe Civati (2015–2018), Beatrice Brignone (2018–present) *Party Leader in the
Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...
: Giuseppe Civati (2015–2018), Luca Pastorino (2018) *Party Leader in the European Parliament:
Elly Schlein Elena Ethel "Elly" Schlein (; born 4 May 1985) is an Italian politician and the secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) since 12 March 2023. She is a member of Italy's Chamber of Deputies and was previously the vice-president of Emilia-Romagna an ...
(2015–2019)


References


External links

*
Official website of Giuseppe CivatiOfficial blog of Giuseppe Civati
{{Italian political parties 2015 establishments in Italy Political parties established in 2015 Democratic Party (Italy) breakaway groups Democratic socialist parties in Europe Feminist parties in Europe Green political parties in Italy Left-wing parties in Europe Left-wing politics in Italy Liberal parties in Italy Progressive parties Social democratic parties in Italy Socialist parties in Italy