Forza Europa (2017)

{{for|the European Parliament group active between 1994 and 1995|Forza Europa}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = Forza Europa

| colorcode = #1E90FF

| logo = Forza Europa logo.png

| logo_size = 250px

| leader1_title = President

| leader1_name = {{nowrap|Benedetto Della Vedova{{cite web |url= http://www.forzaeuropa.it/forza-europa-lassemblea-elegge-della-vedova-presidente-e-falasca-segretario |title= Forza Europa: l'Assemblea elegge Della Vedova Presidente e Falasca Segretario |website= forzaeuropa.it |date= 22 April 2018}}}}

| leader2_title = Vice President

| leader2_name = Andrea Mazziotti

| leader3_title = Secretary

| leader3_name = Piercamillo Falasca

| foundation = {{start date|df=y|2017|7|31}}

| headquarters =

| ideology = Liberalism
Pro-Europeanism

| position = Centre

| national = More Europe{{sup|1}}

| european =

| europarl =

| seats1_title = Chamber of Deputies

| seats1 =

| seats2_title = Senate

| seats2 =

| seats3_title = European Parliament

| seats3 =

| website = {{Official URL}}

| country = Italy

| footnotes = {{sup|1}} Part of the centre-left coalition

}}

Forza Europa (translation: "Forward Europe", FE) is a liberal and pro-Europeanist political party in Italy.

Its leader and president is Benedetto Della Vedova, an economist and long-time Radical politician, who has been member of the European Parliament for the Bonino List (1999–2004), candidate for President of Lombardy (2000), president of the Italian Radicals (2001–2003), founder and president of the Liberal Reformers (2005–2009), member of the Chamber of Deputies for Forza Italia (2006–2008), The People of Freedom (2008–2011) and Future and Freedom (2011–2013), member of the Senate for Future and Freedom (2013), Civic Choice (2013–2015) and the Mixed Group (2015–2018), and undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Renzi Cabinet (2014–2016) and Gentiloni Cabinet (2016–2018).

The party took part to the 2018 general election within More Europe (+E).

History

FE was originally launched as a pro European Union campaign during a convention in Milan on 11 February 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/499815/forza-europa|title=Forza Europa (Convention)|agency=Radio Radicale|date=11 February 2017}} The event saw the participation of leading public figures, including Mario Monti, Francesco Rutelli, Emma Bonino (leader of the Italian Radicals, who had recently parted ways from the Transnational Radical Party), Carlo Scognamiglio (leader of The Liberals), as well as some members of the Civics and Innovators (CI) group in the Chamber of Deputies (Andrea Mazziotti, Gianfranco Librandi and Stefano Dambruoso).{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/02/11/forza-europa_n_14690928.html|title=Forza Europa, Monti, Rutelli e Bonino a Milano con Della Vedova|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=11 February 2017}} The campaign soon became a structured association,{{cite news|url=http://www.dire.it/04-05-2017/119324-della-vedova-vi-spiego-forza-europa-radicali-pro-ue-video|title=Della Vedova: "Vi spiego Forza Europa, radicali pro-Ue"|agency=Dire|date=4 May 2017}}{{cite news|last=Carretta|first=David|url=http://www.ilfoglio.it/esteri/2017/05/09/news/elezione-macron-francia-vista-da-bruxelles-133617|title=L'Ue è più timida dei neoeuropeisti entusiasti organizzati e in marcia|newspaper=Il Foglio|date=9 May 2017}}{{cite news|last=Signore|first=Adalberto|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/bandiera-europeista-non-stata-ammainata-solo-berlusconi-lha-1389452.html|title=La bandiera europeista non è stata ammainata: solo Berlusconi l'ha capito|newspaper=il Giornale|date=25 April 2017}} with an active role played by Piercamillo Falasca and Carmelo Palma, who had been part of Della Vedova's inner circle since the years as Radical.

In June 2017 Della Vedova introduced FE to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE Party) in Brussels,{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/07/26/il-sovranismo-europeo-si-riunisce-a-roma-per-arginare-di-maio_a_23048836|title=Calenda "benedice" il movimento europeista di Della Vedova|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=26 July 2017}} and, for their part, ALDE leaders had also been trying to unite FE, Civic Choice (SC), the Radicals and other left-leaning liberals, in order to build the Italian section of the ALDE Party, a goal they have long missed, most notably with the SC-dominated European Choice list in the 2014 European Parliament election (0.7% of the vote).

In July 2017 FE organised a convention in Rome, which was seen as the beginning of its transformation into a full-fledged party. The event was attended by Bonino, Mazziotti, Librandi, Umberto Ranieri and Carlo Calenda (minister of Economic Development).{{cite web|url=http://www.affaritaliani.it/affari-europei/forza-europa-della-vedova-lancia-il-nuovo-movimento-con-calenda-bonino-491711.html|title=Forza Europa, Della Vedova lancia il nuovo movimento con Calenda e Bonino|website=affaritaliani.it|date=24 July 2017}}{{cite news|last=Carugati|first=Andrea|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2017/07/30/italia/cronache/debutta-il-partito-forza-europa-calenda-si-toglie-labito-da-tecnico-NQeYcmNuOHykojZcqFpi1I/premium.html|title=Debutta il partito "Forza Europa". Calenda si toglie l'abito da tecnico|newspaper=La Stampa|date=30 July 2017}}{{cite news|last=Postiglione|first=Alessio|url=http://www.linkiesta.it/it/article/2017/07/31/bonino-e-calenda-battezzano-forza-europa-il-movimento-degli-europeisti/35078|title=Bonino e Calenda battezzano Forza Europa, il movimento degli europeisti radicali|newspaper=Linkiesta|date=31 July 2017}}{{cite news|last=Falasca|first=Piercamillo|url=http://formiche.net/blog/2017/07/28/forza-europa-intervento-falasca|title=Chi e come dice Forza Europa in Italia - Formiche.net|editor=Formiche.net|date=28 July 2017}}

In November 2017 FE, the Radicals and some CI members launched More Europe (+E), a pro-Europeanist list for the 2018 general election, led by Bonino.{{cite news |last=Carugati |first= Andrea|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2017/11/23/italia/politica/i-radicali-alle-elezioni-da-soli-la-nuova-lista-si-chiamer-europa-9vVPiGh2xoYXqExCOow4cP/pagina.html |title=I radicali alle elezioni da soli: la nuova lista si chiamerà "+ Europa" |newspaper=La Stampa |date= 23 November 2017}}{{cite news |last= Paudice |first= Claudio |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/11/23/bonino-vara-europa-e-lascia-la-porta-aperta-al-pd-ma-sulle-firme-e-missione-impossibile_a_23286375 |title= Bonino vara +Europa e lascia la porta aperta al Pd. Ma sulle firme è "missione impossibile" |newspaper= Huffington Post |date= 23 November 2017 |access-date= 5 December 2017 |archive-date= 4 December 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171204145425/http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/11/23/bonino-vara-europa-e-lascia-la-porta-aperta-al-pd-ma-sulle-firme-e-missione-impossibile_a_23286375/ |url-status= dead }}{{cite news |last=Patta |first= Emilia |url= http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/mondo/2017-12-05/centro-sinistra-duello-priorita-065021.shtml |title=Centro-sinistra, il duello sulle priorità |newspaper= Sole 24 Ore |date=5 December 2017}} +E was part of the centre-left coalition led by Matteo Renzi and the Democratic Party (PD). The list won 2.6% of the vote in the election, falling short of the 3% threshold, and no FE member was elected neither in single-seat constituencies (Della Vedova missed the election in the constituency of Prato, Tuscany for 1.5% of the vote).{{Cite web|url=https://elezionistorico.interno.gov.it/index.php?tpel=C&dtel=04/03/2018&tpa=I&tpe=L&lev0=0&levsut0=0&lev1=12&levsut1=1&lev2=1&levsut2=2&lev3=1&levsut3=3&ne1=12&ne2=121&ne3=1211&es0=S&es1=S&es2=S&es3=S&ms=S|title = Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali}}

In April 2018 FE's first assembly elected Della Vedova president, Mazziotti vice president, Falasca secretary and Palma coordinator of the national board.

In July 2018 +E started to organise itself as a full-fledged party. It was decided that a committee, presided by Gianfranco Spadaccia (a long-time Radical), would lead +E until the founding congress, scheduled for January 2019. The newly formed committee appointed Della Vedova as coordinator.{{Cite web|url=http://www.forzaeuropa.it/europa-e-ripartita|title = +Europa È Ripartita!|date = 14 July 2018}}

Leadership

President: Benedetto Della Vedova (2018–present)
Vice President: Andrea Mazziotti (2018–present)
Secretary: Piercamillo Falasca (2018–present)
Coordinator of the national board: Carmelo Palma (2018–present)

References

External links

[http://www.forzaeuropa.it Official website]

Category:Political parties established in 2017

Category:2017 establishments in Italy

Category:Liberal parties in Italy

Category:Federalist parties in Italy

Category:Pro-European political parties in Italy