Italy: Parties at a glance

Parties in comparison

Liberal
Socialist
Capitalist
Conservative
Explanation of the chart

The graph shows the economic orientation of the parties on the X-axis from left to right. The further left, the more actively the state should intervene via taxes, regulations and redistribution. The further to the right, the less the state should intervene.

On the Y-axis from top to bottom, the parties are categorized according to their life models. The further up a party, the more it prioritizes liberal lifestyles over traditional views and material goods. The further down, the more a party aligns itself with traditional lifestyles and sees the state as the moral authority for living together.

Data was collected through the 2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey by more than 400 policy experts. Party positions may change over time. Therefore, the chart serves only as an overview and cannot make statements about specific political topics.

Ryan Bakker, Liesbet Hooghe, Seth Jolly, Gary Marks, Jonathan Polk, Jan Rovny, Marco Steenbergen, and Milada Anna Vachudova. 2020. “2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey.” - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Fratelli d’Italia

Brothers of Italy

Fratelli d’Italia is a right-wing party and currently represented in parliament with 119 MPs. The party advocates strict immigration policy, wants a strong nation-state, and advocates consistent crime fighting.

The origins of the Fratelli d'Italia lie in the Movimento Sociale Italiano party, formed in 1946, which at the time was already known as a radical and fascist party. Thus, to this day, the two parties share many viewpoints, such as opposition to abortion and skepticism of a high immigration rate. The Fratelli d'Italia do not reject the European Union per se, but call for strongly confederal reforms.

Compared to the last election, Fratelli d’Italia scores an increase of +2.8 and comes in at 28.8%.

Name Fratelli d’Italia
Translation Brothers of Italy
Political orientation Right-wing
Government Part of the government
Current poll value 28.8 (+2.8 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament ECR
Core topics
  • Against multiculturalism
  • Strict immigration policy
  • Strong nationalism
  • Strict crime control
All information at a glance: Fratelli d’Italia

Lega

League

Lega (Lega Nord) is a right-wing party that is currently represented in the parliament with 66 MPs. The party advocates strict immigration policy, advocates consistent crime fighting, and wants a strong nation-state.

Founded in 1989 from a merger of many small parties, the Lega party is particularly strong in the north - hence its old name "Lega Nord". In addition to demands to keep migration policies strict, the Lega primarily advocates the federalization of Italy.

In current polls, Lega is getting 9.0% of the vote - an increase of +0.2 since the last election.

Name Lega Nord
Translation League
Political orientation Right-wing
Government Part of the government
Current poll value 9.0 (+0.2 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament ID
Core topics
  • Strict immigration policy
  • Against multiculturalism
  • Strict crime control
  • Strong nationalism
All information at a glance: Lega

Forza Italia

Go Italy

Forza Italia is a center-right party that is currently represented in parliament with 45 seats. The party wants tax cuts, is against too much regulation of markets, and wants less government intervention in the economy.

Forza Italia has already undergone dissolution as well as re-establishment since its founding in 1994. Founded by a business enterprise, the party offered a lot of room for controversial discussions. Thus, in addition to an economic liberal point of view and a conservative ethical orientation, it also focuses on populism. In a merger with Il Popolo della Libertà, Forza Italia won a majority in Parliament in 2008.

Current polls have Forza Italia coming in at 7.0% - a loss of -1.1 since the last election.

Name Forza Italia
Translation Go Italy
Political orientation Centre-right
Government Part of the government
Current poll value 7.0 (-1.1 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament EPP
Core topics
  • Tax cuts
  • Less regulation of markets
  • Less government intervention in markets/economy
  • Economic growth more important than environmental protection
All information at a glance: Forza Italia

NM

Us Moderates

NM (Noi moderati) is a center-right party that is currently represented in the parliament with 7 MPs.

Name Noi moderati
Translation Us Moderates
Political orientation Centre-right
Government Part of the government
All information at a glance: NM

Partito Democratico

Democratic Party

Partito Democratico is a center-left party and currently represented in parliament with 69 MPs. The party has a dream of an open world without borders, advocates liberal lifestyles, and favors financial redistributions from rich to poor.

The forerunner of the party is the so-called "Historical Compromise", which in the 1970s was supposed to act as an attempt at mediation between communists and Christian Democrats. The revolutionary idea of communism was discarded, and instead the Partito Democratico focused on social issues and the interests of workers. Individual currents within the party are also conspicuous for having members who are strongly Christian and at the same time left-liberal.

Compared to the last election, Partito Democratico scores an increase of +0.7 and comes in at 19.8%.

Name Partito Democratico
Translation Democratic Party
Political orientation Centre-left
Current poll value 19.8 (+0.7 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament S&D
Core topics
  • Open world without borders
  • Advocates liberal lifestyles
  • Pro multiculturalism
  • Redistribution from rich to poor
All information at a glance: Partito Democratico

Movimento 5 Stelle

Five Star Movement

Movimento 5 Stelle is a party of undefinable orientation that is currently represented in parliament with 52 seats. The party favors financial redistributions from rich to poor, puts environmental protection above economic interests, and advocates liberal lifestyles.

With its founding year in 2009, the Movimento 5 Stelle is one of the young parties in Italian politics. It is considered to be EU-skeptical as well as populist. The Movimento 5 Stelle follows a young and innovative course, in which the electorate should be more involved. For example, it sometimes makes votes and joint projects available for selection on the Internet.

In current polls, Movimento 5 Stelle comes in at 16.5%. Compared to the election, that's an increase of +1.1.

Name Movimento 5 Stelle
Translation Five Star Movement
Political orientation Transversal
Current poll value 16.5 (+1.1 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament Non-Inscrits
Core topics
  • Redistribution from rich to poor
  • Environmental protection more important than economic growth
  • Advocates liberal lifestyles
  • More regulation of markets
All information at a glance: Movimento 5 Stelle

A/IV

Azione/Italia Viva

A/IV (Azione/Italia Viva) is a liberal party and currently represented in parliament with 21 MPs.

Name Azione/Italia Viva
Political orientation Liberal politics
All information at a glance: A/IV

AVS

Italian Left / Green Europe

AVS (Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra) is a left party that is currently represented in parliament with 12 seats.

Current polls have AVS coming in at 3.4% - a loss of -0.2 since the last election.

Name Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra
Translation Italian Left / Green Europe
Political orientation Left-wing
Current poll value 3.4 (-0.2 since last election )
All information at a glance: AVS

Più Europa

More Europe

Più Europa is a liberal party that is currently represented in parliament with 2 seats.

Current polls have Più Europa coming in at 2.4% - a loss of -0.4 since the last election.

Name Più Europa
Translation More Europe
Political orientation Liberal politics
Current poll value 2.4 (-0.4 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament RE
All information at a glance: Più Europa

IC

Civic Commitment

IC (Impegno Civico) is a center-left party that is currently represented in parliament with 1 seats.

Name Impegno Civico
Translation Civic Commitment
Political orientation Centre-left
All information at a glance: IC

MAIE

Associative Movement of Italians Abroad

MAIE (Movimento Associativo Italiani all'Estero) is a regional interest party and currently represented in parliament with 1 MPs.

Name Movimento Associativo Italiani all'Estero
Translation Associative Movement of Italians Abroad
Political orientation Regional interests
All information at a glance: MAIE

SVP

South Tyrolean People's Party

SVP (Partito Popolare Sudtirolese) is a regional interest party and currently represented in parliament with 1 MPs. The party favors the promotalization of political decisions, advocates strict immigration policy, and has a dream of an open world without borders.

Name Partito Popolare Sudtirolese
Translation South Tyrolean People's Party
Political orientation Regional interests
Core topics
  • More promotionism
  • Strict immigration policy
  • Open world without borders
  • Free world trade
All information at a glance: SVP

ScN

South calls North

ScN (Sud chiama Nord) is a regional interest party that is currently represented in parliament with 1 seats.

Name Sud chiama Nord
Translation South calls North
Political orientation Regional interests
All information at a glance: ScN

VdA

Aosta Valley

VdA (Vallée d'Aoste) is a regional interest party that is currently represented in the parliament with 1 MPs.

Name Vallée d'Aoste
Translation Aosta Valley
Political orientation Regional interests
All information at a glance: VdA

Azione

Action

Azione is a center-left party from Italy.

Compared to the last election, Azione scores an increase of +3.9 and comes in at 3.9%.

Name Azione
Translation Action
Political orientation Centre-left
Current poll value 3.9 (+3.9 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament S&D
All information at a glance: Azione

ISP

Sovereign and Popular Italy

ISP (Italia Sovrana e Popolare) is a party of undefinable orientation from Italy.

Name Italia Sovrana e Popolare
Translation Sovereign and Popular Italy
Political orientation Transversal
All information at a glance: ISP

Italexit

Italexit

Italexit is a party of undefinable orientation from Italy.

Italy's exit from the European Union, that is the primary goal of the Italexit party. The well-known senator Gianluigi Paragone created it in the summer of 2020 in response to Britain's exit from the European Union (Brexit). With no seats in parliament, the party is also informally considered a political movement, rather than a full-fledged party. Although the topic of a possible Italexit keeps coming up, the Italexit party is considered more of a small force within the Italian political spectrum.

In current polls, Italexit comes in at 2.2%. Compared to the election, that's an increase of +0.3.

Name Italexit
Political orientation Transversal
Current poll value 2.2 (+0.3 since last election )
All information at a glance: Italexit

Italia Viva

Italy Alive

Italia Viva is a liberal party from Italy.

Italia Viva, or "Living Italy," is among the political center in parliament and strongly aligns its political goals with Emmanuel Macron's French party, La République en Marche. Founded in 2019, the comparatively young party focuses on liberal, progressive and pro-European policies. Any kind of protectionism is rejected, while a globalized world is advocated and gender equality is promoted. With 28 deputies in the Italian parliament, the party belongs to the smaller groups.

Compared to the last election, Italia Viva scores an increase of +2.9 and comes in at 2.9%.

Name Italia Viva
Translation Italy Alive
Political orientation Liberal politics
Current poll value 2.9 (+2.9 since last election )
Group in the EU Parliament RE
All information at a glance: Italia Viva

UP

People's Union

UP (Unione Popolare) is a left party from Italy.

Current polls show UP at 1.3. That's a loss of -0.1 compared to the last election.

Name Unione Popolare
Translation People's Union
Political orientation Left-wing
Current poll value 1.3 (-0.1 since last election )
All information at a glance: UP