Centrists for Europe ( it, Centristi per l'Europa, CpE) is a

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 ...

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 ...

. The party was launched, as Centrists for Italy (''Centristi per l'Italia'', CpI), by splinters from the Union of the Centre in December 2016 and officially founded, with the current name, in February 2017. Its most recognisable leader is

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 ...

History

In the run-up of the

2016 Italian constitutional referendum A constitutional referendum was held in Italy on 4 December 2016. Voters were asked whether they approved a constitutional law that amends the Italian Constitution to reform the composition and powers of the Parliament of Italy, as well as the d ...

the Union of the Centre (UdC) chose to campaign for "No", while the

New Centre-Right New Centre-Right ( it, Nuovo Centrodestra, NCD) was a centre-right political party in Italy. The party was launched on 15 November 2013 by a group of dissidents of The People of Freedom (PdL) who opposed the party's transformation into Forza Ita ...

, the UdC's counterpart in Popular Area (AP), was among the keenest supporters of "Yes". After the referendum, which saw a huge defeat of the "Yes" side, the UdC left AP altogether. However, some UdC splinters, notably including

, Gianpiero D'Alia (who had previously launched Centrists for Sicily) and minister Gian Luca Galletti, launched "Centrists for Italy" and confirmed their alliance with the NCD within Popular Area. The party was officially founded, with the current name, in February 2017. At the time the CpE included one minister (Galletti, who had been confirmed in the

Gentiloni Cabinet The Gentiloni government was the 64th government of the Italian Republic, in office from 12 December 2016 to 1 June 2018. The government was headed by Paolo Gentiloni, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Renzi government. The government ...

in December), two deputies (D'Alia and

Ferdinando Adornato Ferdinando Adornato (born 11 May 1954) is an Italian politician and journalist. Biography On 8 June 1994, he founded and led the group ''Area'', "an area of programmatic comparison ... inspired liberal, Christian and environmentalist ... elemen ...

) and three senators (Casini, Aldo Di Biagio and Luigi Marino). Also former minister Francesco D'Onofrio joined the party. In December 2017, the CpE launched the

Popular Civic List The Popular Civic List ( it, Civica Popolare, CP) was a centrist coalition of political parties in Italy. Its leader is Beatrice Lorenzin, minister of Health from 2013 to 2018 and member of Popular Alternative. History CP participated in the 2 ...

(CP), within the

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

, along with

Popular Alternative Popular Alternative ( it, Alternativa Popolare, AP) is a Christian democracy, Christian-democratic list of political parties in Italy, political party in Italy that was founded on 18 March 2017 after the dissolution of New Centre-Right (NCD), one ...

(AP),

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 par ...

(IdV),

Solidary Democracy Solidary Democracy ( it, Democrazia Solidale, DemoS) is a Christian-leftist political party in Italy. The party's early leader, Lorenzo Dellai has described it as a " Christian-social" party. DemoS is led by Paolo Ciani; several party members ...

(DemoS), the

Union for Trentino The Union for Trentino ( it, Unione per il Trentino, UpT) is a Regionalism (politics), regionalist, Centrism, centrist and Christian democracy, Christian-democratic List of political parties in Trentino, political party active in Trentino, Italy. ...

(UpT),

Italy is Popular Italy is Popular ( it, L'Italia è Popolare, IP) is a Christian-democratic political party active in Italy. History IP was launched as a split from the Union of the Centre (UdC) in November 2017 by Giuseppe De Mita, nephew of Ciriaco De Mita, ...

(IP) and minor parties/groups. The new leader of AP,

Beatrice Lorenzin Beatrice Lorenzin (born 14 October 1971) is an Italian politician belonging to the Democratic Party, former leader of Popular Alternative, and former Minister of Health from 28 April 2013 to 1 June 2018, in the governments of Enrico Letta, Ma ...

, was chosen as leader of the list too. In the

2018 Italian general election The 2018 Italian general election was held on 4 March 2018 after the Italian Parliament was dissolved by President Sergio Mattarella on 28 December 2017. Voters were electing the 630 members of the Chamber of Deputies and the 315 elective membe ...

, CP obtained a mere 0.5%, but Casini was re-elected to the Senate from a single-seat constituency in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

, thanks to the decisive support 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 ...

. In the

2022 Italian general election The 2022 Italian general election was a snap election held in Italy on 25 September 2022. After the fall of the Draghi government, which led to a parliamentary impasse, President of Italy, President Sergio Mattarella dissolved the parliament on 2 ...

, CpE run within the list

Democratic Party – Democratic and Progressive Italy Democratic Party – Democratic and Progressive Italy ( it, Partito Democratico – Italia Democratica e Progressista; PD–IDP) is the leading electoral list of the centre-left coalition that run in the 2022 Italian general election. The list is ...

(PD–IDP) and Casini was re-elected to the Senate for the single-member constituency of Bologna.

Electoral results

Italian Parliament

Regional Councils

External links

Official website

References

{{Political parties in Italy 2016 establishments in Italy Centrist parties in Italy Catholic political parties Christian democratic parties in Italy Political parties established in 2016