Bertinottiani

The Bertinottiani{{cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/bertinottiano_(Neologismi)|title=bertinottiano in Vocabolario - Treccani|website=www.treccani.it}} were an Italian political faction around Fausto Bertinotti, the leader of the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) from 1994 to 2006.

In 1998, in the wake of the crisis of Romano Prodi's first government, Bertinotti convinced the majority of the party to stop supporting the cabinet, provoking the split of the faction led by Armando Cossutta, PRC's founder, who launched the Party of Italian Communists (PdCI). That was when the Bertinottiani took the helm of the party.{{cite web|url=http://web.rifondazione.it/home/index.php/homepage|title=www.rifondazione.it|website=web.rifondazione.it}}{{cite web|url=http://www.marx21.it/index.php/fr/42-articoli-archivio/4053-storia-del-prc-da-bertinotti-in-poi|title=Storia del PRC da Bertinotti in poi|first=|last=Administrator|website=www.marx21.it}}{{cite web|url=https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1998/10/04/cossuttiani-la-scissione-non-siamo-noi.html|title=I cossuttiani e la scissione 'Non siamo noi a volerla' - la Repubblica.it|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tempi.it/ramificazione-comunista|title=Ramificazione comunista - Tempi|date=10 October 2007|publisher=}} Bertinotti, who had been secretary since 1993, become the uncontested leader and the Bertinottiani would dominate the party for ten years.

After Bertinotti unsuccessfully led the party (within the Rainbow Left list) in the 2006 general election, in the 2008 congress the Bertinottiani, led by Nichi Vendola and Franco Giordano, were defeated by Paolo Ferrero,{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2008/07/sezioni/politica/cosa-rossa-2/cosa-rossa-2/cosa-rossa-2.html|title=Vendola-Ferrero, abbracci & gelo I fischi del congresso a Fini - Politica - Repubblica.it|website=www.repubblica.it}}{{cite web|url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/08_luglio_27/vendola_ritiro_8b3b2250-5bb4-11dd-b836-00144f02aabc.shtml|title=Ferrero: "Più col popolo, meno in tv" Vendola: "Io, sconfitto da comunista" - Corriere della Sera|website=www.corriere.it}} After a few months, the pair led their Refoundation for the Left (RpS) faction{{cite web|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/ribaltone-nel-prc-vince-ferrero-e-vendola-lancia-sua.html|title=Ribaltone nel Prc, vince Ferrero E Vendola lancia la sua corrente|publisher=}} outside the PRC and formed the Movement for the Left (MpS),{{cite web|url=https://www.lastampa.it/2009/01/24/italia/vendola-e-i-suoi-lasciano-il-prc-nasce-rifondazione-per-la-sinistra-LwRPRy1VfKa0r8pm9DF15O/pagina.html|title=Vendola e i suoi lasciano il Prc, nasce Rifondazione per la sinistra|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.americaoggi.info/2009/01/25/9891-la-scissione-di-vendola-movimento-la-sinistra-non-un-nuovo-partito|title=La scissione di Vendola. "Movimento per la Sinistra" non è un nuovo partito - America Oggi|website=www.americaoggi.info}} which would be merged into Left Ecology Freedom (SEL), which would finally be transformed into Italian Left (SI). In 2009 some Bertinottiani, led by Augusto Rocchi, remained within the PRC, as To the Left with Refoundation.