The Italian Radicals ( it, Radicali Italiani, RI) is a
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
and
libertarian 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 ...
. Founded on 14 July 2001 with
Daniele Capezzone
Daniele Capezzone (born 8 September 1972) is an Italian journalist and former politician.
From 14 July 2001 to 4 November 2006, he was secretary of the Italian Radicals, a liberal, pro-market economy, libertarian movement associated with the ...
as their first secretary, the party describes itself as "''liberale'', ''liberista''
nd''libertario''", where ''
liberale'' refers to political liberalism, ''
liberista'' is an Italian term for
economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is a political and economic ideology that supports a market economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. Adam Smith is considered one of the primary initial writers on economic liberali ...
, and ''
libertario'' denotes a form of
cultural liberalism
Cultural liberalism is a social philosophy which expresses the social dimension of liberalism and advocates the freedom of individuals to choose whether to conform to cultural norms. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, it is often expressed a ...
concerning moral and social issues. According to its constitution, the party "as such and with its symbol does not take part in elections".
From 2001 to 2017, the party intended to be the Italian section of the
Transnational Radical Party
The Transnational Radical Party (TRP), whose official name is Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT), is a political association of citizens, members of parliament and members of government of various national and political ...
(TRP) as the continuation of the
Radical Party founded in 1955 by the left wing of the
Italian Liberal Party
The Italian Liberal Party ( it, Partito Liberale Italiano, PLI) was a liberal and conservative political party in Italy.
The PLI, which is the heir of the liberal currents of both the Historical Right and the Historical Left, was a minor part ...
and re-launched in the 1960s by
Marco Pannella
Marco Pannella (born Giacinto Pannella; 2 May 1930 – 19 May 2016) was an Italian politician, journalist and activist. He was well known in his country for his nonviolence and civil rights' campaigns, like the right to divorce, the right to ab ...
. As the Radical Party had become a transnational
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
working mainly at the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
-level which by statute could not participate in national elections, its Italian members organised themselves into the
Pannella List between 1992 and 1999 and the
Bonino List
The Bonino List ( it, Lista Bonino) was a liberal and libertarian electoral list active in Italy from 1999 to 2004. Named after Emma Bonino, a leading Radical who had been European Commissioner in 1995–1999 (appointed by Silvio Berlusconi), af ...
until 2001, when they established the RI. In 2017, the TRP broke with the RI. ''Quaderni Radicali'' and ''Notizie Radicali'' are the party's newspapers.
Radio Radicale
Radio Radicale is the official radio station of the Italian Radical Party.
Founded in 1976 as part of the ''Radio libere'' ("Free Radio”) movement, it has no commercial advertisements and is partly funded by the party, with support from the Ita ...
is the official
radio station
Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
of the party; in December 2008, it was awarded by ''
Italia Oggi
''Italia Oggi'' is an Italian political, financial, legal and fiscal daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray backgrou ...
'' as the "best specialized radio broadcaster".
The RI are a member of the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, along with its former associate party
More Europe
More Europe ( it, Più Europa or ''+Europa''; +E or +Eu) is a liberal and pro-Europeanist political party in Italy, part of the centre-left coalition and member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party.
Its leaders are Emma ...
, and was previously a full member of the
Liberal International
Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide organization of liberal political parties - a political international. It was founded in Oxford in 1947 and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties, aiming to strengthen liberalism aroun ...
.
History
Background
The
Radical Party was long a
left-libertarian movement in Italy, often proposing itself as the most extreme opposition to the Italian political establishment. When
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 ...
entered the political arena in 1994, the Radicals, who were then organised mostly into the
Pannella List and were attracted by Berlusconi's proposed
economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is a political and economic ideology that supports a market economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. Adam Smith is considered one of the primary initial writers on economic liberali ...
, supported him, albeit critically and without becoming directly involved in his centre-right
first government (1994–1995), in the hope of a "liberal revolution" as opposed to the conservative and
statist
In political science, statism is the doctrine that the political authority of the state is legitimate to some degree. This may include economic and social policy, especially in regard to taxation and the means of production.
While in use since ...
political establishment represented by traditional parties.
The relationship between the Radicals and Berlusconi, whose allies included
socially conservative
Social conservatism is a political philosophy and variety of conservatism which places emphasis on traditional power structures over social pluralism. Social conservatives organize in favor of duty, traditional values and social institution ...
groups at odds with the Radicals'
cultural liberalism
Cultural liberalism is a social philosophy which expresses the social dimension of liberalism and advocates the freedom of individuals to choose whether to conform to cultural norms. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, it is often expressed a ...
, soon ended. In the
1999 European Parliament election
The 1999 European Parliament election was a European election for all 626 members of the European Parliament held across the 15 European Union member states on 10, 11 and 13 June 1999. The voter turn-out was generally low, except in Belgium and L ...
, the
Bonino List
The Bonino List ( it, Lista Bonino) was a liberal and libertarian electoral list active in Italy from 1999 to 2004. Named after Emma Bonino, a leading Radical who had been European Commissioner in 1995–1999 (appointed by Silvio Berlusconi), af ...
obtained 8.7% of the vote and seven MEPs, including
Emma Bonino
Emma Bonino (born 9 March 1948) is an Italian politician. A senator for Rome, she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2014. Previously, she was a Member of the European Parliament and a member of the Chamber of Deputies. She serve ...
,
Marco Pannella
Marco Pannella (born Giacinto Pannella; 2 May 1930 – 19 May 2016) was an Italian politician, journalist and activist. He was well known in his country for his nonviolence and civil rights' campaigns, like the right to divorce, the right to ab ...
,
Marco Cappato
Marco Cappato (; born 25 May 1971) is an Italian activist and politician. Cappato was an Italian Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2009. He represented the Bonino List within the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe parli ...
and
Benedetto Della Vedova. However, the Radicals were not able to convert that electoral success into a more stable political influence, as subsequent elections would show.
Road to the new party
Shortly after the 1999 election, they deserted Berlusconi's proposal of welcoming them back into the centre-right fold and instead formed the Committee of Radicals for the Liberal Revolution and the United States of Europe, led by Cappato. In the run-up of the 2000 regional elections, the opposite happened: Berlusconi's conservative allies posed a veto on the Radicals, who wanted to re-compose the alliance. Consequently, they ran independent bids in most regions, obtaining elects only in
Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 ...
and
Lombardy.
In 2001, after a defeat in the
general election (only 2.3% of the vote and no seats), they re-organised themselves as Italian Radicals and elected 28-year-old
Daniele Capezzone
Daniele Capezzone (born 8 September 1972) is an Italian journalist and former politician.
From 14 July 2001 to 4 November 2006, he was secretary of the Italian Radicals, a liberal, pro-market economy, libertarian movement associated with the ...
as secretary and Della Vedova,
Rita Bernardini and
Luca Coscioni
Luca Coscioni (16 July 1967 – 20 February 2006) was an Italian economist and politician. He was a professor of Environmental Economics at Università della Tuscia (Italy) who engaged very actively in the social and political spheres with t ...
as joint presidents.
In the run-up of the
2005 regional elections, the Radicals understood that their isolation was no longer sustainable and took the unprecedented step of contextually asking to join either the centre-right
House of Freedoms or the centre-left
The Union, regardless of their respective political platforms. The request was turned down by both coalitions, but the effort opened the way for the party's re-positionment in the Italian party system.
Rose in the Fist
In November 2005, the Radicals formed an alliance with the
Italian Democratic Socialists
The Italian Democratic Socialists ( it, Socialisti Democratici Italiani, SDI) were a social-democratic political party in Italy. The party was the direct continuation of the Italian Socialists, the legal successor of the historical Italian Soci ...
(SDI),
becoming ''de facto'' members of The Union coalition for the
2006 general election. The "rose in the fist", the symbol of the
Socialist International
The Socialist International (SI) is a political international or worldwide organisation of political parties which seek to establish democratic socialism. It consists mostly of socialist and labour-oriented political parties and organisations ...
(which included the SDI) which the Radical Party bought from the French
Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of t ...
, was chosen for the joint list that was thus named
Rose in the Fist
The Rose in the Fist ( it, Rosa nel Pugno, RnP) was a political alliance of parties in Italy.
The RnP was composed of the Italian Democratic Socialists (SDI; a social-democratic party led by Enrico Boselli and Roberto Villetti), the Italian ...
(RnP). This decision led those Radicals who were more keen on an alliance with the centre-right to split: this group, led by Della Vedova, launched the
Liberal Reformers and joined the House of Freedoms, eventually merging into Berlusconi's
Forza Italia.
In the election, the list won a mere 2.6% of the vote, much less than the combined support for the two parties before the alliance (the Radicals alone got 2.3% in the
2004 European Parliament election
The 2004 European Parliament election was held between 10 and 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom. The European Parliamental parties could not be voted for, but electe ...
). The Radicals lost voters in their strongholds in the North to Forza Italia, while the Socialists lost ground in their southern heartlands to
The Olive Tree parties (see
electoral results of the RnP). After the election, Bonino was sworn in as Minister of European Affairs and International Trade in the
Prodi II Cabinet
The second Prodi government was the cabinet of the government of Italy from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008, a total of 722 days, or 1 year, 11 months and 21 days. The 59th cabinet of the Italian Republic, it was the only cabinet of the XV Legislature ...
.
In November 2006, after a row with Pannella, Capezzone was forced not to run again for secretary and was replaced by rank-and-file Bernardini. Since then, although not officially leaving, Capezzone became very critical of the government and formed his own political association named
Decide!, closer to the centre-right than the centre-left. Later on, Capezzone entered Forza Italia and became the party's spokesman.
In November 2007, the RnP was disbanded as the SDI merged with minor Socialist parties to form the modern-day
Italian Socialist Party
The Italian Socialist Party (, PSI) was a Socialism, socialist and later Social democracy, social-democratic List of political parties in Italy, political party in Italy, whose history stretched for longer than a century, making it one of the l ...
. The Radicals were at a new turning-point of their history. In the run-up of the 2007 congress, Pannella declared that the party should "give absolute priority to economic, liberal and libertarian reforms rather than the civil struggle to Vatican power, prepotency and arrogance", which had been central in 2006. This did not mean a reconciliation with the centre-right.
Within the Democratic Party
In the
2008 general election, the Radicals stood for re-election in list with 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). Under an agreement with PD's leader
Walter Veltroni
Walter Veltroni (; born 3 July 1955) is an Italian writer, film director, journalist, and politician, who served as the first leader of the Democratic Party within the centre-left opposition, until his resignation on 17 February 2009. He serv ...
, six deputies and three senators were elected. After the election, Bonino was appointed Vice President of the
Senate and the Radicals joined the PD's parliamentary groups. In June, Bernardini,
Maria Antonietta Coscioni and
Elisabetta Zamparutti (all three elected MPs) were replaced by
Antonella Casu,
Bruno Mellano and
Michele De Lucia as secretary, president and treasurer, respectively. In November, the new leadership was confirmed by the national congress.
In the
2009 European Parliament election, the Radicals ran separately from the PD under the banner of
Bonino-Pannella List
Bonino-Pannella List (''Lista Bonino-Pannella'') was a liberal and libertarian electoral list formed by the Italian Radicals.
Named after Marco Pannella and Emma Bonino, the list was the continuation of Pannella List (1992–1999) and Bonino ...
. Having obtained 2.4% of the vote, they failed to return any MEPs and were excluded from the assembly for the first time in 30 years. In November,
Mario Staderini replaced Casu as secretary.
Bonino ran for President of
Lazio
it, Laziale
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
, demographics1_info1 =
, demographics1_title2 ...
for 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 ...
in the
2010 regional election, but was defeated by
Renata Polverini.
Out of Parliament
In January 2013, the party announced that it would contest the
upcoming general election on a stand-alone electoral list called Amnesty, Justice and Freedom (''Aministia, Giustizia, e Libertà''). In the election, the party received 0.2% of the vote, returning no deputies and senators. However, in April and after two months of failed attempts at forming a new government, thanks to her international standing and Pannella's lobbying efforts, Bonino was sworn in as
Minister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between co ...
in the
Letta Cabinet
The Letta government was the 62nd government of the Italian Republic. In office from 28 April 2013 to 22 January 2014, it comprised ministers of the Democratic Party (PD), The People of Freedom (PdL), Civic Choice (SC), the Union of the Centr ...
. The cabinet lasted until 22 February 2014, when it was replaced by the
Renzi Cabinet
The Renzi government was the 63rd government of the Italian Republic, in office from February 2014 to December 2016. It was led by Matteo Renzi, secretary and leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).
The government was composed of membe ...
, which did not include Bonino.
In November 2013, the party elected a new leadership: Bernardini secretary,
Laura Arconti president and
Valerio Federico treasurer. The party did not take part in the
2014 European Parliament election
The 2014 European Parliament election was held in the European Union, from 22 to 25 May 2014.
It was the 8th parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979, and the first in which the European political parties fielded candid ...
, partly due to lack of funds.
During the annual party congress in November 2015,
Riccardo Magi was elected secretary and Cappato president. Pannella, who did not speak at the congress, opposed the change, while Bonino, who was no longer in good terms with the old leader, did not even take part in the congress. However, in the following months Bonino decided to side with Magi and Cappato, who launched "Radical" lists for the 2016 municipal elections in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, in a move opposed by the leadership of the TRP, especially
Maurizio Turco
Maurizio is an Italian masculine given name, derived from the Roman name Mauritius. Mauritius is a derivative of Maurus, meaning ''dark-skinned, Moorish''.
List of people with the given name Maurizio Art and music
* Maurizio Arcieri (born 1945), ...
. The lists obtained 1.2% and 1.9%, respectively, and in both cases they supported the candidates put forward by the PD, either in the first or the second round, opening the way for the party's rapprochement with the centre-left at country-level.
Pannella's death and split
In May 2016, Pannella, who had long suffered from cancer, died and Italian politicians from across the entire political spectrum paid tribute to him.
In the event, the party found itself increasingly divided in two factions: on one side Magi, Cappato and Staderini (who were backed by Bonino), on the other Turco, Bernardini and most of the staff of
Radio Radicale
Radio Radicale is the official radio station of the Italian Radical Party.
Founded in 1976 as part of the ''Radio libere'' ("Free Radio”) movement, it has no commercial advertisements and is partly funded by the party, with support from the Ita ...
(who were closer to the late Pannella). The former focused more on Italian politics and elections, while the latter were more interested in the activity of the
Transnational Radical Party
The Transnational Radical Party (TRP), whose official name is Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT), is a political association of citizens, members of parliament and members of government of various national and political ...
(TRP) and no longer in playing an active role in elections (as suggested by Pannella).
The fracture was evident in September 2016 at the congress of the TRP, during which the faction of Turco and Bernardini soundly beat the other wing. At the November 2016 congress, in turn the RI confirmed Magi as secretary, while electing
Antonella Soldo as president.
In February 2017, the TRP severed its ties with the RI (who were accused of boycotting the TRP) and the latter were forced out of the Radical headquarters.
Return to Parliament
In November 2017, the RI formed, along with Della Vedova's
Forza Europa
Forza Europa was a centre-right political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1994 and 1995.
History
27 MEPs from the Italian centre-right party Forza Italia, along with MEPs of the Christian Democratic Centre and the Union of ...
(FE) and some members of the
Civics and Innovators (CI),
More Europe
More Europe ( it, Più Europa or ''+Europa''; +E or +Eu) is a liberal and pro-Europeanist political party in Italy, part of the centre-left coalition and member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party.
Its leaders are Emma ...
(+E), a pro-Europeanist list for the
2018 general election, led by Bonino. +E was part of 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 ...
led by
Matteo Renzi
Matteo Renzi (; born 11 January 1975) is an Italian politician who served as prime minister of Italy from 2014 to 2016. He has been a senator for Florence since 2018. Renzi has served as the leader of Italia Viva (IV) since 2019, having bee ...
and the PD.
The list won 2.6% of the vote in the election, falling short of the 3% threshold, but Bonino was elected to the Senate in a single-seat constituency in Rome, Magi to the Chamber also from Rome and
Alessandro Fusacchia
Alessandro is both a given name and a surname, the Italian form of the name Alexander. Notable people with the name include:
People with the given name Alessandro
* Alessandro Allori (1535–1607), Italian portrait painter
* Alessandro Baricco ...
from the European constituency of Italians abroad. Contextually, the list obtained 2.1% and one regional councillor in the
Lombard regional election and 2.1% and one regional councillor also in the
2018 regional election.
In July 2018, +E started to organise itself as a full-fledged party. It was decided that a committee, presided by
Gianfranco Spadaccia (a long-time Radical), would lead +E until the founding congress, scheduled for January 2019. The newly formed committee appointed Della Vedova as coordinator. In November, following his election to Parliament, Magi was replaced by
Silvja Manzi as secretary; at the same congress
Barbara Bonvicini was elected president of the party. One year later, Manzi and Bonvicini were respectively replaced by
Massimiliano Iervolino and
Igor Boni.
In August 2019, tensions grew within the coalition supporting the Conte government, leading to the issuing of a motion of no-confidence by the
League
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
. During the following
government crisis
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
, the M5S and the PD agreed to form a new cabinet together, under outgoing Prime Minister Conte. In September, +E decided not to support the newly formed
Conte II Cabinet, despite opposition by Tabacci, Magi and Fusacchia. The three voted in favour of the government in the Chamber, while Bonino voted against it in the Senate. In October, Fusacchia announced he was leaving +E.
In November 2020, Magi and Bonino formed joint sub-groups in the
Mixed Group
The mixed group ( it, Gruppo Misto, GM) is a parliamentary group active in both houses of the Italian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The groups comprise all the deputies and the senators, respectively, who are not members of ...
s of the Chamber and the Senate respectively, together with the deputies and senators affiliated with
Action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
, a political party led by
Carlo Calenda. The sub-group in the Chamber continued to include "Italian Radicals" in its name.
The party supported 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 ...
in 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 ...
.
Ideology
According to the party statute, the RI is both a "
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
,
liberist and
libertarian" party, and a non-ideological, pragmatic, and open movement. The party is the only Italian political movement that consents to dual membership with other parties. The Italian Radicals has been described as representing "the most significant expression" of "libertarianism ... in the Italian context". ''Libertarianism'' in this sense is defined as follows:
"In emphasising the importance of individual liberty and personal responsibility with respects to all matters, libertarians argued that the only thing that may legtimately be demanded of others is non-interference. Hence, libertarians oppose state intervention to help individuals achieve self-realisation (e.g. through welfare measures) or to protect them from themselves (e.g. through legislation against the sale and use of drugs). And on the same grounds they staunchly support private property and unregulated markets."
The RI claims the legacy of Risorgimento radical-republican figures such as
Carlo Cattaneo,
Giuseppe Mazzini
Giuseppe Mazzini (, , ; 22 June 1805 – 10 March 1872) was an Italian politician, journalist, and activist for the unification of Italy (Risorgimento) and spearhead of the Italian revolutionary movement. His efforts helped bring about the in ...
, and
Felice Cavallotti
Felice Cavallotti (6 November 1842 – 6 March 1898) was an Italian politician, poet and dramatic author.
Biography
Early career
Born in Milan, Cavallotti fought with the Garibaldian Corps in their 1860 and 1866 campaigns during the Italian ...
, and 19th-century liberal and socialist intellectuals as
Gaetano Salvemini
Gaetano Salvemini (; 8 September 1873 – 6 September 1957) was an Italian Socialist and antifascist politician, historian and writer. Born in a family of modest means, he became an acclaimed historian both in Italy and abroad, particularly in ...
, the brothers
Carlo and
Nello Rosselli,
Benedetto Croce, and party-ideologue
Ernesto Rossi. Internationally, the RI political though is influenced by ideas of
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
,
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
,
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and ...
and
Karl Popper.
The Radicals have long adopted
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
s to bring political changes. Since 1974, the
Radical Party and its successor RI had purposed more than 110 referendums and were successful 35 times. Other political methods have included Gandhi-inspired
nonviolence, the
Satyagraha, also adopting extreme tactics like
hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke a feeling of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most ...
and, occasionally, thirst strike. Pannella became involved in nonviolence after a long-time association with
Aldo Capitini
Aldo Capitini (23 December 1899 – 19 October 1968) was an Italian philosopher, poet, political activist, anti-Fascist and educator. He was one of the first Italians to take up and develop Mahatma Gandhi's theories of nonviolence and was kno ...
, a pacifist activist nicknamed the "Italian Gandhi".
On fiscal issues, the RI is usually
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
, supporting non-interventionist and free-market policies, but in recent times accepted part of the
welfare state
A welfare state is a form of government in which the state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equita ...
system, especially on healthcare. The RI is divided in two wings, i.e. the Friedmanians, who are influenced by
Milton Friedman
Milton Friedman (; July 31, 1912 – November 16, 2006) was an American economist and statistician who received the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his research on consumption analysis, monetary history and theory and the ...
and the
Chicago School, and the Keynesians, who support
neo-Keynesian or
post-Keynesian
Post-Keynesian economics is a school of economic thought with its origins in '' The General Theory'' of John Maynard Keynes, with subsequent development influenced to a large degree by Michał Kalecki, Joan Robinson, Nicholas Kaldor, Sidney ...
economics. This divide declined in the 2010s, when it adopted moderate liberal trends on economy.
On social issues, the RI appears as the most progressive party in Italy. The RI fully supports progressive stances including
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...
,
LGBT adoption
Same-sex adoption is the adoption of children by same-sex couples. It may take the form of a joint adoption by the couple, or of the adoption by one partner of the other's biological child (stepchild adoption).
Joint adoption by same-sex coup ...
,
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...
,
artificial insemination
Artificial insemination is the deliberate introduction of sperm into a female's cervix or uterine cavity for the purpose of achieving a pregnancy through in vivo fertilization by means other than sexual intercourse. It is a fertility treatment ...
and
euthanasia, vocally advocating for an
advance healthcare directive
An advance healthcare directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no ...
(AHD). On healthcare, the RI support universal healthcare with possibility to choose between state-managed service and private insurances. The RI also calls for the legalization of
prostitution and
cannabis
''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
while enforcing the fight against hard drugs like heroin with
harm reduction
Harm reduction, or harm minimization, refers to a range of public health policies designed to lessen the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal. Harm reduction is used to d ...
methods. On immigration, the RI supports
ius soli
''Jus soli'' ( , , ; meaning "right of soil"), commonly referred to as birthright citizenship, is the right of anyone born in the territory of a state to nationality or citizenship.
''Jus soli'' was part of the English common law, in contras ...
policy and faster legal integration of regular immigrants, granting them citizenship and the
right to vote
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...
. The RI criticises sentiment against illegal immigrants, rejecting the "invasion" theory supported by
far-rightists. On religious affairs, the RI follows the historical Radical Party's position of
anti-clericalism,
calling for the abolition of
Lateran Treaty
The Lateran Treaty ( it, Patti Lateranensi; la, Pacta Lateranensia) was one component of the Lateran Pacts of 1929, agreements between the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and the Holy See under Pope Pius XI to settle ...
(approved in 1929 and modified in 1984) and secularisation. The party is a strong critic of the Catholic-dominated politics, underlining the ghettoisation of religious minorities, including atheists and agnostics.
On foreign affairs issues, the RI has been a keen supporter of
European federalism,
non-interventionism
Non-interventionism or non-intervention is a political philosophy or national foreign policy doctrine that opposes interference in the domestic politics and affairs of other countries but, in contrast to isolationism, is not necessarily opposed t ...
,
Atlanticism
Atlanticism, also known as Transatlanticism, is the belief in or support for a close relationship between the peoples and governments in Northern America (the United States and Canada) and those in Europe (the countries of the European Union, ...
and
Zionism
Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after '' Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...
, while advocating a
two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotia ...
. The party is also a strong supporter of
enlargement of the European Union
The European Union (EU) has expanded a number of times throughout its history by way of the accession of new member states to the Union. To join the EU, a state needs to fulfil economic and political conditions called the Copenhagen criteria ...
including towards
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
,
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria t ...
,
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
and
Palestine and is a strong opponent of dictatorial-like states such as China, Russia and Syria. Despite their non-interventionism, the RI is not pacifist and supports war actions where civil rights are absent and minorities endangere, e.g. the
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
and
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
wars. The RI had supported several cultural and social mobilisations in support of several persecuted ethnic and religious minorities including the
Tibetans
The Tibetan people (; ) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Tibet. Their current population is estimated to be around 6.7 million. In addition to the majority living in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, significant numbers of Tibetans liv ...
, the
Uyghurs
The Uyghurs; ; ; ; zh, s=, t=, p=Wéiwú'ěr, IPA: ( ), alternatively spelled Uighurs, Uygurs or Uigurs, are a Turkic ethnic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the general region of Central and East Asia. The Uyghur ...
, the
Degar
Montagnard () is an umbrella term for the various indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The French term () signifies a mountain dweller, and is a carryover from the French colonial period in Vietnam. In Vietnamese, they a ...
and the
Chechens
The Chechens (; ce, Нохчий, , Old Chechen: Нахчой, ''Naxçoy''), historically also known as ''Kisti'' and ''Durdzuks'', are a Northeast Caucasian ethnic group of the Nakh peoples native to the North Caucasus in Eastern Europe. "Eu ...
.
Electoral results
Chamber of Deputies
Senate of the Republic
European Parliament
Leadership
* Secretary:
Daniele Capezzone
Daniele Capezzone (born 8 September 1972) is an Italian journalist and former politician.
From 14 July 2001 to 4 November 2006, he was secretary of the Italian Radicals, a liberal, pro-market economy, libertarian movement associated with the ...
(2001–2006),
Rita Bernardini (2006–2008),
Antonella Casu (2008–2009),
Mario Staderini (2009–2013),
Rita Bernardini (2013–2015),
Riccardo Magi (2015–2018),
Silvja Manzi (2018–2019),
Massimiliano Iervolino (2019–present)
* President:
Benedetto Della Vedova,
Rita Bernardini and
Luca Coscioni
Luca Coscioni (16 July 1967 – 20 February 2006) was an Italian economist and politician. He was a professor of Environmental Economics at Università della Tuscia (Italy) who engaged very actively in the social and political spheres with t ...
(2001–2003),
Luca Coscioni
Luca Coscioni (16 July 1967 – 20 February 2006) was an Italian economist and politician. He was a professor of Environmental Economics at Università della Tuscia (Italy) who engaged very actively in the social and political spheres with t ...
(2003–2006),
Maria Antonietta Coscioni (2006–2008),
Bruno Mellano (2008–2010),
Silvio Viale (2010–2013),
Laura Arconti (2013–2014),
Riccardo Magi (2014–2015),
Marco Cappato
Marco Cappato (; born 25 May 1971) is an Italian activist and politician. Cappato was an Italian Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2009. He represented the Bonino List within the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe parli ...
(2015–2016),
Antonella Soldo (2016–2018),
Barbara Bonvicini (2018–2019),
Igor Boni (2019–present)
* Treasurer:
Danilo Quinto (2001–2003),
Rita Bernardini (2003–2006),
Elisabetta Zamparutti (2006–2008),
Michele De Lucia (2008–2013),
Valerio Federico (2013–2016),
Michele Capano (2016–2017),
Silvja Manzi (2017–2018),
Antonella Soldo (2018–2019),
Giulia Crivellini (2019–present)
* President of the National Committee:
Werther Casali (2004–2010),
Marco Revelli (2010–2011),
Giulia Simi (2011–2013),
Michele Capano (2013–2014),
Silvio Viale (2014–2015),
Antonella Soldo (2015–2016),
Manuela Zambrano (2016–2017),
Alessandro Massari (2017–2019),
Silvio Viale (2020–2021),
Dario Boilini (2021–present)
Symbols
File:Radicali Italiani.png, 2001–2017
File:Rosa nel Pugno.png, 2006 general election
File:Radicali Logo.jpg, 2008 (not used in elections)
File:Amnistia Giustizia Libertà.jpg, 2013 general election
File:Radicali Italiani logo.png, 2017–present
References
External links
Official websiteTransnational Radical PartyAssociazione Luca CoscioniRadio RadicaleQuaderni Radicali
{{political parties of Italy
2001 establishments in Italy
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties
Liberal parties in Italy
Libertarianism in Italy
Political parties established in 2001
Pro-European political parties in Italy
Federalist parties in Italy
Secularism in Italy
Radical parties in Italy