Forza Italia
Former Italian political party / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Forza Italia[nb 1] (FI; lit. 'Forward Italy' or 'Come on Italy' or 'Let's Go Italy')[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] was a centre-right[2] liberal-conservative[3][13][14][15] political party in Italy, with Christian democratic,[16][2][17] liberal[16][2][17][18] (especially economic liberalism),[19] social democratic[16] and populist[20][21][22] tendencies. It was founded by Silvio Berlusconi, who served as Prime Minister of Italy four times.
Forza Italia | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | FI |
President | Silvio Berlusconi |
Vice President |
|
Founder | Silvio Berlusconi |
Founded | 18 January 1994 |
Dissolved | 27 March 2009 |
Merged into | The People of Freedom |
Headquarters | Via dell'Umiltà 36, Rome |
Student wing | Students for the Freedoms |
Youth wing | Forza Italia – Young People for Freedom |
Membership (2007) | 400,000[1] |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre-right[2] |
National affiliation |
|
European affiliation | European People's Party (1999–2009) |
European Parliament group |
|
Colours | Azure |
Anthem | "Forza Italia" |
The party was founded in December 1993 and won its first general election soon afterwards in March 1994. It was the main member of the Pole of Freedoms/Pole of Good Government, Pole for Freedoms and House of Freedoms coalitions. Throughout its existence, the party was characterised by a strong reliance on the personal image and charisma of its leader (it has been called a "personality party"[23][24] or Berlusconi's "personal party"),[25][26][27] and the skillful use of media campaigns, especially via television.[28] The party's organisation and ideology depended heavily on its leader, so much so that its appeal to voters was based on Berlusconi's personality more than on its ideology or programme.[29]
In November 2008, the national council of the party, presided by Alfredo Biondi, voted to merge Forza Italia into The People of Freedom (PdL),[30] Berlusconi's new political vehicle, whose official foundation took place in March 2009. A new Forza Italia was established by Berlusconi as PdL's legal successor in 2013.