Free Alternative
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox political party
| colorcode = #008BD1
| name = Free Alternative
| native_name = Alternativa Libera
| logo = File:Alternativa Libera logo.png
| leader1_title = Spokesperson
| leader1_name = Massimo Artini
| leader2_title = President
| leader2_name = Claudio Pizzuto
| foundation = January 2015
| dissolution = 15 February 2019
| split = Five Star Movement
| headquarters = Via della Missione 10, Rome
| ideology = Direct democracy
Environmentalism
Social democracy
| position = Centre-left
| national =
| website = [http://www.alternativalibera.org www.alternativalibera.org]
| country = Italy
| merged = Italia in Comune
}}
Free Alternative (Alternativa Libera, AL) was a political party in Italy, originally including left-wing, centrist, and right-wing elements. The party was formed in January 2015 by splinters of the Five Star Movement.
History
The party was launched in January 2015 by ten deputies who had left (or had been expelled from) the Five Star Movement (M5S),{{cite web|url=http://www.camera.it/leg17/217?idlegislatura=17&idGruppo=1589&idGruppoMisto=&tipoVis=#modifiche |title=XVII Legislatura - Deputati e Organi Parlamentari - Composizione gruppi Parlamentari |publisher=Camera.it |date= |accessdate=2016-05-08}} a populist party which had come first in the 2013 general election, over disagreements with Beppe Grillo's and Gianroberto Casaleggio's leadership. According to AL's leader, Walter Rizzetto, at its foundation, the party counted also on seven senators{{cite web |url=http://www.lastampa.it/2015/02/11/italia/politica/dal-movimento-stelle-ad-alternativa-libera-rizzetto-con-senatori-vogliamo-contare-JC0BrGcF5T2TRheaxsnZyN/pagina.html |title=Dal Movimento 5 Stelle ad Alternativa Libera. Rizzetto: "Con 7 senatori, vogliamo contare" - La Stampa |publisher=Lastampa.it |date= |accessdate=2016-05-08 |archive-date=2016-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330021258/http://www.lastampa.it/2015/02/11/italia/politica/dal-movimento-stelle-ad-alternativa-libera-rizzetto-con-senatori-vogliamo-contare-JC0BrGcF5T2TRheaxsnZyN/pagina.html |url-status=dead }} (possibly including Italy Work in Progress and the X Movement), but the notion was never confirmed by the Senate's website and other news sources. Besides Rizzetto, the other main leader of the party was Massimo Artini.{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/02/05/m5s-gli-ex-creano-alternativa-libera-rizzetto-capogruppo-artini-responsabile/1400556/ |title=M5S, gli ex creano "Alternativa libera": Rizzetto capogruppo e Artini responsabile - Il Fatto Quotidiano |publisher=Ilfattoquotidiano.it |date=2015-01-27 |accessdate=2016-05-08}}
In April 2015, Gessica Rostellato, one of the party's ten deputies, left in order to join the Democratic Party{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/04/30/ex-m5s-rostellato-vota-italicum-e-aderisce-al-partito-democratico/1640671/ |title=Ex M5S Rostellato vota la fiducia sull'Italicum e aderisce al Partito democratico - Il Fatto Quotidiano |publisher=Ilfattoquotidiano.it |date= 30 April 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.giornalettismo.com/archives/1797981/gessica-rostellato-pd/ |title=Gessica Rostellato: un'altra deputata ex M5S passa al Pd |publisher=Giornalettismo |date=2015-04-30 |accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.padovaoggi.it/politica/gessica-rostellato-deputata-conselve-partito-democratico.html |title=Gessica Rostellato, la deputata padovana di Conselve passa al Pd |publisher=Padovaoggi.it |date= |accessdate=2016-05-08}} and, a few days later, was replaced by Toni Matarrelli, a splinter from Left Ecology Freedom, in the group.{{cite web|url=http://www.imolaoggi.it/2015/05/02/italicum-e-valzer-delle-poltrone-matarrelli-sel-pronto-a-passare-al-pd/ |title=Italicum e valzer delle poltrone, Matarrelli (Sel) pronto a passare al Pd | Imola Oggi |publisher=Imolaoggi.it |date= 2 May 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ilgazzettinobr.it/politica/item/7458-sancita-la-frattura-tra-vendola-e-matarrelli.html |title=Sancita la frattura tra Vendola e Matarrelli |publisher=Ilgazzettinobr.it |date= |accessdate=2016-05-08}}
As of mid-July 2015, the party looked divided between its left-wing, led by Artini, whose members had been crescently involved in a dialogue with Giuseppe Civati and were pondering over joining his Possible party,{{cite web |url=http://www.ilmessaggero.it/flashnews.php?file=2015-07-15_1151257048.txt |title=Il Messaggero - Flashnews |publisher=Ilmessaggero.it |date= |accessdate=2016-05-08 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113624/http://www.ilmessaggero.it/flashnews.php?file=2015-07-15_1151257048.txt |url-status=dead }} and its right-wing, led by Rizzetto, a conservative liberal,{{cite web|author=Pubblicato: 15/07/2015 18:44 CEST |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2015/07/15/m5s-diaspora-ex-idv-civati_n_7802276.html |title=M5s, la lunga diaspora degli ex. Due passano all'Idv, altri tre incerti, tanti strizzano l'occhio a Civati. E Alternativa libera |publisher=Huffingtonpost.it |date=2015-07-15 |accessdate=2016-05-08}} who had been building bridges with Lega Nord and the Brothers of Italy (FdI) instead.{{cite web|author=L'Huffington Post |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2015/03/07/meloni-rizzetto-ex-grillini-alleati-lega-fratelli-ditalia_n_6822578.html |title=Gli ex grillini si alleano con Giorgia Meloni e la Lega? Il selfie di Walter Rizzetto alla manifestazione di Fratelli d'Italia |publisher=Huffingtonpost.it |date= 7 March 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://messaggeroveneto.gelocal.it/udine/cronaca/2015/07/08/news/la-numero-due-del-pd-si-deve-dimettere-1.11742637 |title="La numero due del Pd si deve dimettere" - Cronaca - Messaggero Veneto |publisher=Messaggeroveneto.gelocal.it |date= 8 July 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}
In November 2015 the majority of the party (including six deputies: Artini, Matarrelli, Marco Baldassarre, Eleonora Bechis, Samuele Segoni and Tancredi Turco) joined forces with Possible and formed a joint sub-group within the Mixed Group of the Chamber. This caused the split of four deputies (Rizzetto, Sebastiano Barbanti, Mara Mucci and Aris Prodani).{{cite web|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/11/19/camera-gruppi-parlamentari-fermento-alternativa-libera-possibile-entra-civati-esce-rizzetto/2233180/ |title=Camera, gruppi parlamentari in fermento: Alternativa libera-Possibile, entra Civati esce Rizzetto - Il Fatto Quotidiano |publisher=Ilfattoquotidiano.it |date= 19 November 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.termometropolitico.it/1197065_ex-grillini-di-seguono-civati-nasce-al-possibile.html |title=Ex grillini di Alternativa Libera seguono Civati: nasce Al-Possibile - Termometro Politico |publisher=Termometropolitico.it |date= 17 November 2015|accessdate=2016-05-08}}{{cite web|url=http://www.dire.it/17-11-2015/24645-civatiani-ed-ex-m5s-nasce-alternativa-libera-possibile/ |title=Civatiani ed ex M5s, nasce Alternativa Libera-Possibile |publisher=Dire.it |date=2015-11-17 |accessdate=2016-05-08}} Shortly after, Matarrelli directly joined Possible.{{cite web|author=Nome * |url=http://www.brindisioggi.it/unaltra-idea-dellitalia-e-possibile-matarrelli-dialoga-con-pippo-civati/ |title="Un'altra idea dell'Italia è possibile", Matarrelli dialoga con Pippo Civati - Brindisi Oggi, news Brindisi notizie Brindisi e provincia |publisher=Brindisioggi.it |date=2014-06-20 |accessdate=2016-05-08}} Through 2016 Rizzetto would join the Brothers of Italy,{{Cite web|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2016/03/23/ex-m5s-walter-rizzetto-aderisce-a-fratelli-ditalia-una-scelta-di-cuore-e-non-di-calcoli/2574849|title=Ex M5s Walter Rizzetto aderisce a Fratelli d'Italia: "Una scelta di cuore e non di calcoli"|date=23 March 2016}} Barbanti the Democratic Party,{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2016/03/16/barbanti-m5s-pd-minacce_n_9478262.html|title=L'Ex M5S passa al Pd, sui social minacce di morte: "Ti scanno, maiale"|date=16 March 2016}} and Mucci the Civics and Innovators (a split from Civic Choice),{{Cite web|url=http://espresso.repubblica.it/palazzo/2016/11/02/news/gli-ex-grillini-ora-si-scoprono-montiani-1.287150|title = Gli ex grillini ora si scoprono montiani|date = 3 November 2016}} while Prodani continued to sit as an independent.
In March 2017 AL was established as a full-fledged party, with Artini spokesperson and Claudio Pizzuto president.{{cite web | url=http://www.agenparl.com/alternativa-libera-costituente-artini-nominato-portavoce | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322014918/http://www.agenparl.com/alternativa-libera-costituente-artini-nominato-portavoce | url-status=usurped | archive-date=March 22, 2017 | title=ALTERNATIVA LIBERA: COSTITUENTE, ARTINI NOMINATO PORTAVOCE | Agenparl }} Contextually, it severed its ties with Possiblehttp://www.alternativalibera.org/camera-componente-parlamentare-alternativa-libera-cambia-nome{{cite web |url=http://www.mainfatti.it/Alternativa-Libera/Alternativa-Libera-cambia-nome-alla-Camera-in-Tutti-Insieme-per-l-Italia_0201805033.htm |title=Alternativa Libera cambia nome alla Camera in "Tutti Insieme per l'Italia" - Mainfatti |website=www.mainfatti.it |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322014918/http://www.mainfatti.it/Alternativa-Libera/Alternativa-Libera-cambia-nome-alla-Camera-in-Tutti-Insieme-per-l-Italia_0201805033.htm |archive-date=2017-03-22}} (which would form a joint group with Italian Left),{{Cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/03/10/news/sinistra_italiana_possibile_civati_capogruppo-160234054|title=Sinistra Italiana e Possibile insieme alla Camera. Ma il primo scoglio è Civati capogruppo|date=10 March 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://left.it/2017/03/09/possibile-e-sinistra-italiana-dopo-i-gruppi-la-lista-unitaria|title = Possibile e Sinistra Italiana. Dopo i gruppi, la lista unitaria | Left| date=9 March 2017 }}{{Cite web|url=https://ilmanifesto.it/sinistra-italiana-e-possibile-il-nuovo-gruppo|title = Sinistra italiana (E) Possibile, il nuovo gruppo|date = 9 March 2017}} while strengthening the ties with the group led by Federico Pizzarotti, mayor of Parma and M5S dissident too.{{Cite web|url=http://www.agi.it/politica/2017/03/20/news/pizzarotti_effetto_domino_marika_cassimatis_beppe_grillo_alternativa_libera-1602913|title=Effetto Pizzarotti: Il sindaco di Parma attira gli espulsi da Grillo}} In the 2017 municipal election in Parma Pizzarotti won 34.8% of the vote and his "Effect Parma" list, supported by AL and Possible, 34.6%.{{Cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/static/speciale/2017/elezioni/comunali/parma.html|title = Comune di Parma - Emilia-Romagna - Elezioni Comunali Italia - Risultati - 11-25 giugno 2017 - la Repubblica.it}}
On 15 February 2019 it was announced that the party would merge into Italia in Comune, another party formed by M5S splinters, under the leadership of Federico Pizzarotti.{{Cite web|url=https://www.alternativalibera.org/alternativa-libera-continua-il-suo-percorso-in-italia-in-comune|title = Alternativa Libera continua il suo percorso in Italia in Comune - Alternativa Libera}}
Leadership
- Spokesperson: Massimo Artini (2017–2019)
- President: Claudio Pizzuto (2017–2019)