The Democrats

Infobox_Political_Party
party_name = Democrats
party_name_italian = I Democratici
party_
party_status = Italian National Party
leader = Romano Prodi
coalition = The Union |olive tree coalition
newspaper = N/A| ideology = Centrism, Social liberalism, elements of Social democracy and Christian Democracy
website = [http://www.Democraticiperlulivo.it http://www.Democraticiperlulivo.it]
colorcode = lightblue
foundation = February, 1998
headquarters = Piazza SS. Apostoli, 73 00186 Rome "For other uses of the term "The Democrats," see Democrat"

The Democrats ("I Democratici") is a former Italian party, launched by Romano Prodi in 1998.

When Romano Prodi was ousted from his post of Italian President of the Council of Ministers, he launched a new party with his fellows: Arturo Parisi, Antonio Maccanico and his Democratic Union, Italy of Values of Antonio Di Pietro (who left the party in 2000 and re-established an independent Italy of Values) and the so-called "Movement of Mayors" of Francesco Rutelli and Massimo Cacciari.

The party was led by Prodi until his nomination to the post of President of the European Commission in October 1999. Then the post of president of the party was given to his top-aide Arturo Parisi, who was also his successor as MP in Romano Prodi's Bologna's district.

The ideology of the party ranged from the Social Catholicism of Prodi and Parisi, to the liberalism of Maccanico or Rutelli. The Democrats European affiliation was the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party.

In 2000, The Democrats joined the alliance, which later become a party, called Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy and ceased to exist as an independent party in January 2002.