Simply Democrats ( it, Semplicemente Democratici) was a heterogeneous

faction Faction or factionalism may refer to: Politics * Political faction, a group of people with a common political purpose * Free and Independent Faction, a Romanian political party * Faction (''Planescape''), a political faction in the game ''Plane ...

within 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 ...

, a

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 ...

. At the 2009 leadership election the group (whose main members included

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 ...

Rita Borsellino Rita Borsellino (; 2 June 1945 – 15 August 2018) was an Italian Sicilian anti-Mafia activist, politician and, between 2009 and 2014, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Democratic Party. Early life Borsellino was born in Paler ...

David Sassoli David Maria Sassoli (; 30 May 1956 – 11 January 2022) was an Italian politician and journalist who served as the president of the European Parliament from 3 July 2019 until his death on 11 January 2022. Sassoli was first elected as a member o ...

, Debora Serracchiani and

Francesca Barracciu Francesca Barracciu (born 11 June 1966, Sorgono) is an Italian politician. She is a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Early life and career Graduated in philosophy and pedagogy, she was a teacher of literary and Latin subjects a ...

) supported the candidacy of

Dario Franceschini Dario Franceschini (; born 19 October 1958) is an Italian lawyer, writer, and politician, member of the Democratic Party (PD), of which he briefly became leader in 2009. Franceschini served as Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and To ...

, who eventually lost to

Pier Luigi Bersani Pier Luigi Bersani (; born 29 September 1951) is an Italian politician and was Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD), Italy's leading centre-left party, from 2009 to 2013. Bersani was Minister of Industry, Commerce and Craftmanship from 1996 t ...

. Serracchiani and

Giuseppe Civati Giuseppe "Pippo" Civati (born 4 August 1975) is an Italian politician and publisher, former leader of Possible and a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2013 to 2018. Biography Comunal and Regional experiences Very close to Romano Prodi ...

later organized a new faction composed mainly of middle-aged and young Democrats.

References

{{Democratic Party factions Democratic Party (Italy) factions