Leader Silvio Berlusconi Dissolved 2001 | Founded 1996 Succeeded by House of Freedoms | |
Other leaders Gianfranco Fini
Pier Ferdinando Casini Preceded by Pole of Freedoms,
Pole of Good Government | ||
The Pole for Freedoms (Italian: Polo per le Libertà) was a centre-right political and electoral alliance in Italy, which was active from 1996 to 2001. It included Forza Italia (FI), the National Alliance (AN), Union of the Centre (UdC), Christian Democratic Centre (CCD), United Christian Democrats (UCD), and Pannella–Sgarbi List.
Contents
History
The Pole for Freedoms was formed as a continuation of the Pole of Freedoms and Pole of Good Government coalitions, which had both supported the leadership of Silvio Berlusconi at the 1994 general election: the Pole of Freedom was constituted by Forza Italy and Lega Nord, the Pole of Good Government by Forza Italia and the National Alliance. After that, Lega Nord left the coalition at the end of 1994, the centre-right was forced to reform itself: in 1995, in occasion of the regional elections, an organic alliance was formed. In 1996 it was officially named "Pole for Freedoms" and debuted in the 1996 general election; however, it was defeated by the centre-left alliance The Olive Tree, whose leader was Romano Prodi.
The Pole for Freedoms was in opposition to the centre-left governments (of Prodi, Massimo D'Alema and Giuliano Amato) until 2001, when, after the rapprochement with the Lega Nord, became the House of Freedoms (CdL). The new CdL coalition won the 2001 general election and remained in government until the following general election in 2006.
Composition
It was initially composed of the following political parties: