Italian People's Party (1994–2002)

The Italian People's Party ("Partito Popolare Italiano", PPI) was a christian-democratic political party in Italy

History

The party emerged as successor to the Christian Democracy (DC) in January 1994. The first secretary of the party was Mino Martinazzoli, replaced by Rocco Buttiglione in June 1994, after that the party was soundly defeated in the April general election by both the centre-right and the centre-left, gaining only the 11.1%, as part of a centrist alliance named Pact for Italy.

In 1995, when Buttiglione's proposal to join the centre-right coalition (composed of Forza Italia, the National Alliance and the Christian Democratic Centre) was rejected by the party's National Council, the outgoing secretary, along with Roberto Formigoni and Gianfranco Rotondi, formed the United Christian Democrats, leaving the PPI in the hands of the leftish factions of the late DC.

For the 1996 general election the party formed a list (the "PPI-UD-PRI-SVP for Prodi") with Antonio Maccanico's Democratic Union, the Italian Republican Party and the South Tyrolean People's Party. The list was part of The Olive Tree (political coalition)
The Olive Tree coalition and won 6.8% of the vote in the election. PPI was represented in Romano Prodi's government by three ministers: Beniamino Andreatta was Minister of Defense, Rosy Bindi Minister of Health and Michele Pinto Minister of Agriculture.

In the 1999 European Parliament election, the party was damaged by the competition of the The Democrats (Dem), a centrist and social-liberal party launched by Romano Prodi. PPI won only 4.3% of the vote, while The Democrats took the 7.7%.

For the 2001 general election PPI formed an electoral alliance with The Democrats, the Union of Democrats for Europe (UDEUR) and Lamberto Dini's Italian Renewal (RI). The alliance won 4.5% of vote. In January 2002, the party decided finally to merge in the new centrist party, called Democracy is Freedom – Daisy, along with The Democrats and Italian Renewal.

Leadership

*Secretary: Mino Martinazzoli (1994), Rocco Buttiglione (1994–1995), Gerardo Bianco (1995–1997), Franco Marini (1997–1999), Pierluigi Castagnetti (1999–2002)
**Deputy Secretary: Enrico Letta (1999–2002)
*President: Rosa Russo Jervolino (1994), Giovanni Bianchi (1994–1997), Gerardo Bianco (1997–1999)
*Coordinator: Dario Franceschini (1997–1999), Lapo Pistelli (1999–2002)