Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election, 2007

The 2007 Democratic Party leadership election was held on 14 October 2007 in order to elect the first leader of the Democratic Party, the largest political party in Italy at the time. The election was conducted as an open primary, with all Italian citizens aged at least 16 and non-Italian legal residents being eligible to vote. A minimum fee of one euro (initially chosen as five euros, lowered to one euro following direct requests by almost all leadership candidates) was requested to voters in order to taker part in the election.

The election, attended by over three and a half million voters, ended in a landslide victory for Walter Veltroni, Mayor of Rome and former leader of the Democrats of the Left, who gained 75.8% of the vote, being thus elected as first Democratic Party leader.^[1]

Events

Following the national conventions of the Democrats of the Left and Democracy is Freedom – Daisy, Romano Prodi announced a list of 45 politicians which would have composed the Organizing Committee of the Democratic Party. All members successively met on June 18, 2007 in order to decide the rules regarding the election of the first leader and the 2,400 members of the Constituting Assembly. A method was chosen in order to associate lists with leadership candidates. In order to run into the election, a number of 100 signatures were needed, whereas at least 2,000 approved signatures were requested to run into the leadership race.

Leadership race

July 30, 2007 was the deadline for presenting leadership candidacies. All candidates were requested to be clearly associated with the Democratic Party project, as either members of the political subjects forming it or with no party association at all.

On the July 30 deadline, a total of ten candidates officially registered their candidacy: Walter Veltroni, Rosy Bindi, Enrico Letta, Furio Colombo, Marco Pannella, Antonio Di Pietro, Mario Adinolfi, Pier Giorgio Gawronski, Jacopo G. Schettini, Lucio Cangini and Amerigo Rutigliano. Of these, Pannella and Di Pietro were stopped because of their involvement in external parties, whereas Cangini and Rutigliano did not manage to present the necessary 2,000 valid signatures for the 9pm deadline, and Colombo's candidacy was instead made into hiatus in order to give him 48 additional hours to integrate the required documentation; Colombo later decided to retire his candidacy citing his impossibility to fit with all the requirements.^[2] All rejected candidates had the chance against the decision in 48 hours' time,^[3] with Pannella and Rutigliano being the only two candidates to appeal against it.^[4] Both were rejected on 3 August.^[5]

All polls predict a clear victory for Veltroni in the election, with results ranging from 65% to 75% circa.^[6][7][8]

On September 26, 2007, Gavazzoli Schettini retired from the race due to his failure in building enough support for presenting a minimum of 25 supporting nationwide lists, and announced he was moving his support to Gawronski, running alongside him for the party leadership.^[9]

Accepted candidacies

Walter Veltroni

Walter Veltroni

Walter Veltroni is the incumbent Mayor of Rome and a former Democrats of the Left leader.^[10] His candidacy was publicly asked on June 20 by incumbent Democrats of the Left leader Piero Fassino publicly asked Walter Veltroni,^[11] being suggested by several opinion polls suggesting Veltroni could potentially win hands down the leadership race.^[12]

Veltroni officially announced his intention to run at a widely publicized rally in Turin on June 27.^[13] He will run in a joint ticket with deputy-leadership candidate Dario Franceschini, Olive Tree speaker at the Chamber of Deputies.

Rosy Bindi

Rosy Bindi

Rosaria "Rosy" Bindi is currently part of the Prodi II Cabinet as Minister of Family (a minister without portfolio) for Democracy is Freedom – Daisy.^[10] She announced her candidacy on July 16.^[14]

Enrico Letta

Enrico Letta

Enrico Letta is the incumbent undersecretary in the Prodi II Cabinet, and a Democracy is Freedom – Daisy leading member. 40-year-old Letta announced his candidacy via a video posted online on his personal website on July 24.^[15]

Minor candidates

• Jacopo G. Schettini, economist on CSR, director of the european Standard Ethics Aei, announced his candidacy just few days after Mr. Veltroni on July 3.^[10]
• Mario Adinolfi, 35-year old journalist and blogger,^[10] and supporter of direct democracy and higher involvement of young people in the national political scenario. He announced his intention to run on July 18 through his blog.^[16]
• Pier Giorgio Gawronski, 50-year old economist and Oxford graduate;^[17][18]

Rejected and withdrawn candidacies

Marco Pannella

Marco Pannella is a historical leader of the Italian Radicals.^[10] He announced his intention to run for the party leadership on July 21, but this was refused by the Presidency Office. Despite this, Pannella kept on campaigning for his candidacy and received support from Minister of International Commerce and fellow Radical Emma Bonino, who offered herself to campaign as potential deputy leader.

Antonio Di Pietro

On the night of July 30, a few minutes shy of the deadline, incumbent Minister of Infrastructures and Italy of Values leader Antonio Di Pietro was officially unveiled as entering the race. His candidacy was however refused due to his commitments to Italy of Values.^[18][19]

Furio Colombo

Furio Colombo is an elected Senator for Democrats of the Left, and former editor-in-law for left-leaning newspaper L'Unità.^[10] He announced his candidacy on July 15 with an article published on L'Unità itself.^[20] His candidacy was initially made into hiatus by the Organizing Committee due to his failure in presenting the original copy of many of the requested 2,000 signatures. Colombo then announced his withdrawal from the competition, citing his impossibility to leave Rome in the days to come due to his Senate commitments.^[2]

Minor candidates

• Lucio Cangini, former Mayor of Sarsina and local Democrats of the Left councilman.^[10] He will not however run in the leadership race after having failed to hand over a minimum of 2,000 valid signatures in support of his candidacy.^[18]
• Amerigo Rutigliano, leader of minor movement Unità Democratica Sinistra Europea (Democratic Union - European Left).^[21] He however handed over the necessary signatures with a 30 minutes delay with respect to the 9pm deadline, and his candidacy was therefore rejected.^[18]

Results

Official results^[22]

Candidate	Total			Lists
	Votes	%	Seats	Name	Votes	%	Seats
Walter Veltroni	2,694,721	75.82	2322	Democratici con Veltroni	1,553,946	43.72	1493
				Con Veltroni. Ambiente, innovazione, lavoro	286,811	8.07	172
				A Sinistra con Veltroni	272,111	7.66	226
				Other lists	581,853	16.37	430
Rosy Bindi	459,398	12.93	312	Con Rosy Bindi. Democratici, davvero	459,398	12.93	312
Enrico Letta	391,775	11.02	220	I democratici per Enrico Letta	391,775	11.02	220
Mario Adinolfi	5,924	0.17	0	Generazione U	5,924	0.17	0
Pier Giorgio Gawronski (and Jacopo G. Schettini)	2,351	0.07	0	Gawronski. Il coraggio di cambiare and Noi per il Partito Democratico	2,351	0.08	0
Total	3,554,169	100.0	2853	Total	3,554,169	100.0	2853

Opinion polling

Polling Firm	Date	Candidates						Link
		Veltroni	Bindi	Letta	Adinolfi	Schettini	Gawronski
IPSOS	October 12, 2007	70.0–73.0	17.0–19.0	7.0–9.0	0.7–1.4	–	0.3–0.6	[23]
EKMA Srl	October 10	74.0	14.0	8.0	1.0	0.4	0.4	[24]
IPSOS	October 9	73.0–76.0	12.0–15.0	8.0–11.0	0.4–1.2	0.1–0.4	0.5–1.4	[25]
Gipieffe SpA	October 5	78.2	10.4	9.5	0.4	1.1	0.4	[26]
EKMA Srl	October 2	73.0	15.0	7.0	1.5	0.2	0.5	[27]
IPSOS	September 28	75.0–78.0	11.0–14.0	7.0–10.0	0.9–1.7	0.2–0.5	0.9–1.8	[28]
EKMA Srl	September 26	73.0	16.0	6.0	1.5	0.2	0.1	[29]
ISPO	September 24	69.0	12.0	5.0	–	–	–	[30]
EKMA Srl	September 19	70.0	18.0	7.5	2.5	0.3	0.3	[31]
EKMA Srl	September 11	70.0	17.0	7.0	3.0	0.5	0.5	[32]
EKMA Srl	September 5	68.0	15.0	9.0	3.0	–	–	[33]
SWG	August 26	75.0	8.0	7.0	0.5	0.5	0.5	[34]

See also

• Democratic Party (Italy)
• Primary elections in Italy

References

1. ^ "Italy's Veltroni elected new centre-left party's leader: projections". AFP. 2007-10-14. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJgxTPLO8A4ALrle9SUxqf_vDDLQ. Retrieved 2007-10-14. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "PD: COLOMBO RITIRA CANDIDATURA" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2007-08-01. http://www.repubblica.it/news/ired/ultimora/2006/rep_nazionale_n_2412819.html?ref=hpsbdx3. Retrieved 2007-08-01. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "PD: BOCCIATE CANDIDATURE DI PIETRO E PANNELLA" (in Italian). ANSA. 2007-07-31. http://www.ansa.it/opencms/export/site/visualizza_fdg.html_128024177.html. Retrieved 2007-07-31. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Pd: collegio garanti decidera' domani su pannella" (in Italian). ANSA. 2007-08-02. http://www.repubblica.it/news/ired/ultimora/2006/rep_nazionale_n_2417555.html?ref=hpsbdx. Retrieved 2007-08-03. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ L'Unione Sarda^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Ekma SRL (2007-09-11). "Le primarie del Partito Democratico" (in Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2491. Retrieved 2007-09-17. 
7. ^ Ekma SRL (2007-09-05). "Le primarie del PD" (in Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2489. Retrieved 2007-09-17. 
8. ^ SWG (2007-08-31). "Le elezioni primarie del Partito Democratico" (in Italian). Sondaggi Politico Elettorali. http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2487. Retrieved 2007-09-17. 
9. ^ "Pd, la corsa a due degli economisti. I candidati per le primarie restano cinque" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2007-09-26. http://www.repubblica.it/2007/09/sezioni/politica/partito-democratico-10/gavazzoli-gawronski/gavazzoli-gawronski.html. Retrieved 2007-10-01. 
10. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Pd, Letta e Pannella fra i possibili 8 sfidanti" (in Italian). Corriere Canadese. 2007-07-23. http://www.corriere.com/viewstory.php?storyid=64330. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
11. ^ "Pd: Fassino «Veltroni si candidi a segreteria»" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 2007-06-20. http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/06_Giugno/20/veltroni_fassino_pd.shtml. Retrieved 2007-06-21. 
12. ^ Ekma SRL - Sondaggi Politico Elettorali (2007-06-13). "Sondaggio Politico-Elettorale - Il Comitato dei 45" (in Italian). http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2406. Retrieved 2007-06-21. 
13. ^ "Italy's Left Looks Beyond Prodi". The Guardian. 2007-06-27. Archived from the original on 2007-11-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20071127163636/http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6740560,00.html. Retrieved 2007-06-27. 
14. ^ "Rosy Bindi si candida alla segreteria del Pd" (in Italian). La Repubblica. 2007-07-16. http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/07_Luglio/16/pd_bindi_primarie.shtml. Retrieved 2007-07-16. 
15. ^ "Pd: Letta si candida via web, "riconquistare la parola libertà"" (in Italian). 2007-07-24. http://today.reuters.it/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-07-24T142416Z_01_DIG451091_RTRIDST_0_OITTP-LETTA-CANDIDATO.XML&ImageID=. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
16. ^ "Pd, si candida l'outsider Mario Adinolfi" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 2007-07-18. http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/07_Luglio/18/Adinolfi_candidato_pd.shtml. Retrieved 2007-07-18. 
17. ^ "I magnifici nove" (in Italian). Il Messaggero. http://www.ilmessaggero.it/articolo_app.php?id=1376&sez=&npl=&desc_sez=. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
18. ^ ^{a b c d} "Pd, in corsa anche Pannella e Di Pietro" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 2007-07-30. http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/07_Luglio/30/pd_candidature_primarie.shtml. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
19. ^ Pd, in 6 per la leadership - Politica - tg24 - SKY Life
20. ^ "Pd, Colombo sfiderà Veltroni «E ora Moretti si faccia vivo»" (in Italian). Corriere della Sera. 2007-07-15. http://www.articolo21.info/notizia.php?id=5176. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 
21. ^ "LA DICHIARAZIONE DI INTENTI DI AMERIGO RUTIGLIANO" (in Italian). Ulivo.it. http://www.ulivo.it/cgi-bin/adon.cgi?act=doc&doc=100104. Retrieved 2007-07-30. 
22. ^ "Riepilogo Nazionale del voto alle liste" (in Italian) (PDF). Partito Democratico. http://www.partitodemocratico.it/adon/files/totalegraf.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-19. 
23. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2540
24. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2535
25. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2534
26. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2530
27. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2522
28. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2520
29. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2514
30. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2511
31. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2507
32. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2491
33. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2489
34. ^ http://www.sondaggipoliticoelettorali.it/asp/visualizza_sondaggio.asp?idsondaggio=2487

External links

• (Italian) Official Democratic Party website