Democratic Party (Italy) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Democratic Party Partito Democratico
Abbreviation	PD
Secretary	Elly Schlein
President	Stefano Bonaccini
Founded	14 October 2007; 17 years ago (2007-10-14)
Merger of	Democrats of the Left Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy minor parties
Headquarters	Via Sant'Andrea delle Fratte 16 (Largo del Nazareno), Rome
Newspaper	L'Unità (2007–2014) Europa (2007–2014) Democratica (2017–2019) Immagina (2020–present)
Youth wing	Young Democrats
Membership (2024)	165,000
Ideology	Social democracy
Political position	Centre-left
National affiliation	Centre-left coalition
European affiliation	Party of European Socialists
International affiliation	Progressive Alliance
European Parliament group	Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
Parliamentary group	PD–IDP
Colours	Red      Green
Chamber of Deputies	71 / 400
Senate	38 / 200
European Parliament	15 / 76
Regional Councils	187 / 896
Conference of Regions	4 / 21
Political parties

The Democratic Party (Italian: Partito Democratico, PD) is a major political party in Italy. It is known for its social-democratic ideas, which means it supports things like social justice, equality, and a strong welfare state. The current leader, called the Secretary, is Elly Schlein. She was chosen in a special election in 2023. The party's President is Stefano Bonaccini.

The PD was created in 2007 when several different centre-left parties joined together. These parties had worked together before in a group called The Olive Tree. The two biggest parties that merged were the Democrats of the Left (DS), which had roots in the Italian Communist Party, and Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL), which was inspired by Catholic values. The PD has also been influenced by ideas like Christian left (Christian values in politics), social liberalism (balancing individual freedom with social justice), and the Third Way (a mix of centre-left and centre-right ideas).

From 2013 to 2018, three different prime ministers of Italy from the PD led the Italian government: Letta, Renzi, and Gentiloni. After the 2018 election, the PD became the second-largest party. In 2019, they joined a new government with the Five Star Movement. Later, in 2021, they joined a national unity government with other major parties. As of 2021, the PD leads five regional governments in Italy. After the 2022 election, the party returned to being in opposition.

Many important politicians have been part of the Democratic Party, including former leaders like Walter Veltroni and Enrico Letta. Two former Presidents of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano and Sergio Mattarella, were also members.

A Look at the Party's History

How the Party Started: The Olive Tree

After some big political scandals in the early 1990s, Italy's political system changed a lot. Many people wanted to bring together different left-wing and centre-left groups into one strong party.

In 1995, Romano Prodi, a former minister, started a group called The Olive Tree (L'Ulivo). This was a coalition of centre-left parties. They won the 1996 election, and Prodi became Prime Minister.

Over time, some of these parties merged. For example, in 1998, the main left-wing party became the Democrats of the Left (DS). In 2002, several Catholic-inspired parties formed Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL). These two groups often worked together. In 2004, they even ran on a joint list for the European Parliament elections, getting a good share of the votes.

The Journey to Becoming the Democratic Party

Romano Prodi, a key figure in forming the PD.

Romano Prodi often talked about how The Olive Tree should naturally grow into a single "Democratic Party." This idea gained strength after the 2006 election, where many people voted for Prodi.

Eight parties decided to merge and create the PD. The two largest were the Democrats of the Left (DS) and Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL). While the DL agreed easily, the DS had a more difficult time. About 75% of DS members voted to join the new party. Some members who disagreed left to form a new party called Democratic Left (SD).

In May 2007, a special committee was formed to organize the new party. It included politicians and other important figures. They set up rules for an open election to choose the party's first leader.

Founding the Party and Choosing a Leader

Many people wanted to be the first leader of the Democratic Party. Candidates had to collect a lot of signatures to run.

On October 14, 2007, Walter Veltroni was elected as the first leader. Over three million people voted in this open election, and Veltroni won with about 75% of the votes. He was officially announced as Secretary on October 28, 2007, in Milan.

On November 21, the new party logo was shown. It has an olive branch and the letters "PD" in the colors of the Italian flag (green, white, and red). These colors represent different ideas: green for environmental and social-liberal values, white for Catholic solidarity, and red for socialist and social-democratic traditions.

Walter Veltroni's Time as Leader

Walter Veltroni, the first Secretary of the PD.

After the government fell in early 2008, the PD decided to form a simpler alliance for the next election. They invited other parties to join their lists. Walter Veltroni campaigned hard, presenting the PD as a party of new ideas.

In the 2008 election, the PD and its allies won 37.5% of the vote but were defeated by the centre-right. The PD itself got 33.2% of the vote. After the election, Veltroni formed a "shadow cabinet," which is a group of opposition politicians who would take on government roles if their party won.

The first few months were tough for the PD and Veltroni. His leadership was weakened by disagreements within the party.

Dario Franceschini Takes Over

Dario Franceschini became interim Secretary.

After a big loss in a regional election in February 2009, Walter Veltroni resigned as party secretary. His deputy, Dario Franceschini, took over as a temporary leader to guide the party until a new permanent leader could be chosen. Franceschini was elected by the party's national assembly. He was the first leader of the PD who had previously been part of the Christian Democrat party.

The 2009 European Parliament election was an important test. The PD considered working with other left-wing parties, but those parties decided to form their own alliance. The PD ended up with 26.1% of the vote and 21 members in the European Parliament.

Pier Luigi Bersani's Leadership

Pier Luigi Bersani led the party from 2009 to 2013.

A new open primary election was held in October 2009. Pier Luigi Bersani won with about 53% of the vote, becoming the new Secretary of the party. Rosy Bindi was elected party president.

After Bersani's win, some moderate and liberal members, like Francesco Rutelli, left the PD to form a new centrist party. Many other politicians also left the party to join other groups.

In March 2010, there were many regional elections. The PD lost control of four regions but kept six others. They also helped a left-wing candidate win in Apulia, a region that usually votes conservative.

In 2011, Bersani made an agreement with two other parties, forming a "New Olive Tree" coalition. However, this agreement broke down when the PD decided to support a temporary government led by Mario Monti.

Getting Ready for the 2013 Election

The relationship between the PD and one of its former allies became difficult. So, the PD formed a new alliance with other parties. They held a primary election in October 2012 to choose their candidate for Prime Minister in the 2013 general election.

The main challenge to Bersani came from Matteo Renzi, the 37-year-old mayor of Florence. Renzi was seen as a modern, liberal politician. Bersani launched his campaign in his hometown.

In the primary election, Bersani won the first round. In the final round on December 2, Bersani defeated Renzi, winning in almost every region.

The 2013 General Election

Enrico Letta became Prime Minister in 2013.

In the 2013 election, the PD and its allies did not do as well as expected. The PD won 25.4% of the vote. While the centre-left coalition narrowly won the majority in the Chamber of Deputies, they failed to get a clear majority in the Senate. This meant they couldn't govern alone. As a result, Bersani could not form a government.

After some political struggles, Enrico Letta, the party's deputy secretary, became Prime Minister of Italy on April 28. He led a government that included parties from both the centre-left and centre-right. Letta was the first member of the Democratic Party to become Prime Minister.

Guglielmo Epifani's Short Leadership

Guglielmo Epifani was a temporary leader.

After Bersani resigned, the PD was without a leader for two weeks. On May 11, 2013, Guglielmo Epifani was elected Secretary. Epifani, who used to lead Italy's largest trade union, was the first former Socialist to lead the party. His main job was to prepare the party for a new leadership election later that year.

A few weeks after Epifani became leader, the PD had a good result in local elections, winning in many cities, including Rome.

Matteo Renzi's Time as Leader

Matteo Renzi led the party for many years.

Four people ran for party secretary in late 2013, including Matteo Renzi. In the first round of voting by party members, Renzi came first.

On December 8, Renzi won the open primary election with a large majority (67.6% of the vote). He was officially announced as Secretary on December 15. Renzi's team included many young people and more women.

In February 2014, the party decided to end Letta's government and form a new one led by Renzi. Renzi became Prime Minister on February 22. The PD also officially became a full member of the Party of European Socialists (PES), which is a group of socialist and social-democratic parties in Europe.

Matteo Renzi as Prime Minister

In the 2014 European Parliament election, the PD achieved a huge success, getting 40.8% of the vote and 31 seats. This was the best result for an Italian party in a national election since 1958. The PD became the largest national party in the European Parliament.

In January 2015, Sergio Mattarella, a founding member of the PD, was elected President of Italy. His candidacy was supported by Renzi and the party.

During Renzi's time as Prime Minister, some members left other parties to join the PD, increasing its numbers in Parliament. However, some members from the left-wing of the PD also left to form new parties.

In the 2015 regional elections, PD candidates won or were re-elected as presidents in five out of seven regions. This meant that 16 out of 20 regions in Italy were governed by the centre-left.

Preparing for the 2018 General Election

After a big defeat in a referendum in December 2016, Renzi resigned as Prime Minister. He was replaced by Paolo Gentiloni, another member of the PD. In February 2017, Renzi also resigned as PD secretary to run for the leadership again.

Around this time, a significant group of left-wing members left the PD and formed a new party called Article 1 – Democratic and Progressive Movement. Many of these members were former Democrats of the Left.

Renzi speaking at a party convention.

In the party's open primary election on April 30, Renzi won again with 69.2% of the vote. He was sworn in as Secretary once more on May 7.

For the 2018 general election, the PD tried to form a broad centre-left coalition, but only smaller parties joined.

The 2018 General Election

In the 2018 election, the PD had its worst result ever, getting only 18.7% of the vote. They were far behind the Five Star Movement and just ahead of the League. After this defeat, Renzi resigned as Secretary.

After two months of talks, the Five Star Movement and the League formed a government. The PD returned to being in opposition after about seven years.

Maurizio Martina's Leadership

In July, Maurizio Martina was elected Secretary by the party's national assembly. A new leadership election was planned for early 2019. Martina resigned in November 2018 to start the election process.

During Martina's time, the party began preparing for the leadership election. In January 2019, Carlo Calenda, a former minister, launched a campaign called "We Are Europeans" to promote a pro-European joint list for the upcoming European Parliament election.

Nicola Zingaretti Takes Charge

Nicola Zingaretti became Secretary in 2019.

Three main candidates ran for Secretary: Martina, Nicola Zingaretti, and Roberto Giachetti. Zingaretti won the first round of voting among party members. In the primary election on March 3, Zingaretti was elected Secretary with 66.0% of the vote.

Zingaretti was officially appointed on March 17. On the same day, former Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni was elected as the party's new president.

For the 2019 European Parliament election, Zingaretti used a special logo that included "We Are Europeans." The party also formed an alliance with Article One. In the election, the PD came second after the League, with 22.7% of the vote. On July 3, 2019, David Sassoli, a member of the PD, was elected President of the European Parliament.

Working with the Five Star Movement

In August 2019, the government coalition faced problems. After the Prime Minister resigned, the PD decided to work with the Five Star Movement to form a new government. This new government, called the Conte II Cabinet, took office on September 5.

On September 18, Matteo Renzi left the PD and started a new centrist party called Italia Viva (IV). Many politicians who supported Renzi followed him.

In November, the PD held a big meeting in Bologna. They showed a strong shift towards left-wing ideas, moving away from the more liberal policies of Renzi's time.

Starting in November 2019, a grassroots movement called the Sardines movement began. It aimed to oppose the rise of right-wing populism. The movement supported the PD's candidate, Stefano Bonaccini, in the Emilia-Romagna regional election. Bonaccini was re-elected in January 2020.

In February 2020, Valentina Cuppi was elected as the party's new president. In the September 2020 regional elections, the party lost one region but kept three others.

Joining Draghi's National Unity Government

In January 2021, a government crisis began when Renzi's party withdrew its support. After much discussion, Mario Draghi was asked to form a new government. The PD decided to join this new government, which also included parties like the League and Forza Italia. The PD had three ministers in the new Draghi Cabinet.

Enrico Letta's Leadership

Enrico Letta became Secretary in 2021.

After weeks of internal disagreements, Nicola Zingaretti resigned as Secretary in March 2021. Many important members of the PD asked former Prime Minister Enrico Letta to become the new leader. On March 12, Letta accepted, and on March 14, he was elected Secretary.

Letta appointed new deputy secretaries and a new executive team with an equal number of men and women. He also pushed for two women to lead the party in Parliament.

In October 2021, Letta won a special election and returned to Parliament. In local elections that year, the PD and its allies won in many major cities across Italy, including Milan and Rome.

The 2022 General Election

In July 2022, another government crisis led to the 2022 Italian general election. The PD ended its alliance with the Five Star Movement.

For the election, the PD formed a joint list with several smaller parties. They also made agreements with other groups. However, one key ally, Carlo Calenda, left the pact because of other alliances the PD had formed. The PD's list included a wide range of candidates, from left-wingers to liberals and Christian Democrats.

In the election, the PD got 19.1% of the vote, and the centre-left coalition lost to the centre-right. As a result, Letta announced he would step down, and a new leadership election was planned for 2023.

Elly Schlein's Leadership

Elly Schlein, the current Secretary of the PD.

The 2023 leadership election was part of a bigger process to update the PD's rules and political goals. Several smaller parties also planned to merge into the PD. The main candidates were Stefano Bonaccini and Elly Schlein. Bonaccini had support from many regional leaders and mayors, while Schlein had support from the party's left-wing.

Bonaccini won the first round of voting among party members. However, in the final primary election on February 26, Schlein surprisingly won, defeating Bonaccini with 53.8% of the vote. Schlein was officially appointed Secretary on March 12. On the same day, Bonaccini was elected as the party's president. In June 2023, Article One officially merged into the PD.

For the 2024 European Parliament election, Schlein will lead the party in some areas, and other prominent figures will lead in others.

What the Party Believes In

The PD is a "big tent" centre-left party, meaning it includes many different ideas. It is mainly influenced by social democracy and the Christian left. The party's roots come from the cooperation between the Italian Communist Party and Christian Democracy (the main older parties that led to the PD) during important times in Italian history, like the Italian resistance movement and the writing of the Italian Constitution. The party also gets ideas from Modern American liberalism.

There's a lot of discussion about how much the PD is truly a social-democratic party. Some say it tries to appeal to a wide range of voters and doesn't focus enough on redistributing wealth. Under Matteo Renzi's leadership, the party adopted more economic liberal ideas, similar to the Third Way approach seen in some European social-democratic parties.

The PD emphasizes national unity, social fairness, progressivism, a moderate social liberalism, environmental issues, progressive taxation (where richer people pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes), and pro-Europeanism (supporting closer ties within Europe). Historically, the party's earlier groups strongly supported balancing budgets to meet European economic rules. Under Veltroni and Renzi, the party pushed for changes to the constitution and electoral laws to move towards a two-party system.

While the PD traditionally supported welcoming immigrants, it has taken a stricter approach since 2017. This has led to criticism from some left-wing groups and intellectuals.

Different Ideas Within the Party

A party festival in Bologna, 2014.

The PD is a very diverse party with several different groups or "factions" inside it. These groups often come from the older parties that merged to form the PD. They sometimes form different alliances depending on the issue.

Here are some of the main ideas within the party:

• Social Democracy: This is the largest part of the party. Many members from the former Democrats of the Left are social-democratic. They focus on workers' rights and social issues. Some are traditional social democrats, while others are more influenced by modern American liberalism and New Labour ideas (like those of Tony Blair).
• Christian Left: Many Christian-inspired members are part of this group. They often come from the left-wing of the old Christian Democracy party. They bring Christian values into their political views.
• Social Liberalism: This idea is supported by former members of liberal and republican parties. They believe in balancing individual freedom with social justice.
• Green Politics: This group includes former members of green parties and others who care deeply about environmental issues.

It's hard to put Matteo Renzi's supporters into one of these categories. His ideas have been linked to both liberalism and populism. Some say he mixes liberal economic policies with populist appeals, meaning he might challenge powerful groups while also trying to connect directly with ordinary people. After Renzi left the party to form Italia Viva, many of his supporters stayed in the PD.

International Connections

In its early days, it was debated which European political party the PD should join. This was finally decided in 2014.

Renzi speaking at a meeting of the Party of European Socialists in Rome.

The former Democrats of the Left generally wanted to join the Party of European Socialists (PES), while most former members of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy preferred the European Democratic Party (EDP), which is part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group. After the PD was formed, its members of the European Parliament continued to sit with both the PES and ALDE groups. After the 2009 European Parliament election, the PD's members decided to join the PES group, which was renamed the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D).

On December 15, 2012, PD leader Pier Luigi Bersani attended the founding meeting of the Progressive Alliance (PA). This is a new international group for parties that want to work together on progressive ideas. On May 22, 2013, the PD became a founding member of the PA.

Matteo Renzi, who led the party from 2013 to 2018, wanted the party to join both the Socialist International and the PES. On February 20, 2014, the PD officially applied for full membership in the PES. Renzi believed that being a member of a major European party would give the PD more influence. On February 28, the PD was welcomed as a full member of the PES.

Where the Party Gets Its Support

Like the parties it came from, the PD is strongest in Central Italy and in big cities. The party currently governs six regions and major cities like Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Bologna, Florence, and Bari. It also helps govern many other cities.

In the 2008 and 2013 general elections, the PD got its best results in regions like Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche, Liguria, and Lazio. The party is generally stronger in Northern and Central Italy than in the South, except for Basilicata, where many of its members came from the old Christian Democracy party.

The 2014 European Parliament election was a huge success for the party, with 40.8% of the vote. This was the best result for an Italian party in a national election since 1958. In 2014, the PD did very well in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria, and also made big gains in Lombardy, Veneto, and the South. However, the 2018 general election was a major defeat, with the party's support dropping to 18.7%.

The chart below shows the PD's election results in national and European Parliament elections since 2008.

The table below shows the PD's election results in the 10 most populated regions of Italy.

Election Results

Italian Parliament

Election	Chamber of Deputies					Senate of the Republic					Leader
	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
2008	12,434,260	33.2	217 / 630	–	2nd	11,052,577	33.7	118 / 315	–	2nd	Walter Veltroni
2013	8,934,009	25.4	297 / 630	80	2nd	8,400,255	27.4	112 / 315	6	1st	Pier Luigi Bersani
2018	6,161,896	18.8	112 / 630	185	2nd	5,783,360	19.1	54 / 315	58	2nd	Matteo Renzi
2022	5,356,180	19.1	69 / 400	43	2nd	5,226,732	19.0	40 / 200	13	2nd	Enrico Letta

European Parliament

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Leader
2009	8,008,203	26.1	21 / 72	–	2nd	Dario Franceschini
2014	11,203,231	40.8	31 / 73	10	1st	Matteo Renzi
2019	6,089,853	22.7	19 / 76	12	2nd	Nicola Zingaretti

Regional Councils

Region	Election year	Votes	%	Seats	+/−	Status in legislature
Aosta Valley	2020	10,106 (3rd)	15.3	7 / 35	7	Majority
Piedmont	2019	430,902 (2nd)	22.4	10 / 51	17	Opposition
Lombardy	2023	628,774 (2nd)	21.2	18 / 80	2	Opposition
South Tyrol	2023	9,707 (8th)	3.5	1 / 35	1	Opposition
Trentino	2023	38,689 (1st)	16.6	7 / 32	3	Opposition
Veneto	2020	244,881 (3rd)	11.9	7 / 51	2	Opposition
Friuli-Venezia Giulia	2023	65,143 (4th)	16.5	10 / 49		Opposition
Emilia-Romagna	2020	749,976 (1st)	34.7	23 / 50	7	Majority
Liguria	2020	124,586 (2nd)	19.9	7 / 31	1	Opposition
Tuscany	2020	560,981 (1st)	34.7	23 / 41	2	Majority
Marche	2020	156,394 (1st)	25.1	8 / 31	8	Opposition
Umbria	2019	93,296 (2nd)	22.3	5 / 21	6	Opposition
Lazio	2023	313,023 (2nd)	20.3	11 / 51	7	Opposition
Abruzzo	2024	117,497 (2nd)	20.3	6 / 31	2	Opposition
Molise	2023	17,031 (2nd)	12.0	3 / 20	1	Opposition
Campania	2020	398,490 (1st)	16.9	9 / 51	7	Majority
Apulia	2020	289,188 (1st)	17.3	17 / 51	3	Majority
Basilicata	2019	22,423 (5th)	7.7	3 / 21	9	Opposition
Calabria	2021	100,437 (2nd)	13.2	5 / 31	1	Opposition
Sicily	2022	238,761 (4th)	12.7	11 / 70		Opposition
Sardinia	2024	94,411 (1st)	13.8	11 / 60	3	Majority

Party Leaders

• Secretary: Walter Veltroni (2007–2009), Dario Franceschini (2009), Pier Luigi Bersani (2009–2013), Guglielmo Epifani (2013), Matteo Renzi (2013–2018), Maurizio Martina (2018), Nicola Zingaretti (2019–2021), Enrico Letta (2021–2023), Elly Schlein (2023–present)
• President: Romano Prodi (2007–2008), Anna Finocchiaro (acting; 2008–2009), Rosy Bindi (2009–2013), Gianni Cuperlo (2013–2014), Matteo Orfini (2014–2019), Paolo Gentiloni (2019), Valentina Cuppi (2020–2023), Stefano Bonaccini (2023–present)
• Party Leader in the Chamber of Deputies: Antonello Soro (2007–2009), Dario Franceschini (2009–2013), Roberto Speranza (2013–2015), Ettore Rosato (2015–2018), Graziano Delrio (2018–2021), Debora Serracchiani (2021–2023), Chiara Braga (2023–present)
• Party Leader in the Senate: Anna Finocchiaro (2007–2013), Luigi Zanda (2013–2018), Andrea Marcucci (2018–2021), Simona Malpezzi (2021–2023), Francesco Boccia (2023–present)
• Party Leader in the European Parliament: David Sassoli (2009–2014), Patrizia Toia (2014–2019), Roberto Gualtieri (2019), Brando Benifei (2019–present)

Party Symbols

• 

  The official logo of the Democratic Party (2007–present).

See Also

• List of political parties in Italy
• List of secretaries of the Democratic Party (Italy)