2001 Italian general election

Last updated

2001 Italian general election
Flag of Italy.svg
  1996 13 May 2001 2006  

All 630 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
316 seats needed for a majority
315 seats in the Senate
163 seats needed for a majority [a]
Registered49,256,295 (C) ·44,499,794 (S)
Turnout40,085,397 (C) ·81.4% (Decrease2.svg1.5 pp)
36,189,394 (S) ·81.3% (Decrease2.svg0.9 pp)
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
MEP Silvio Berlusconi, 1999.jpg
Francesco Rutelli 2001 crop.jpg
Fausto Bertinotti 2001.jpg
Leader Silvio Berlusconi Francesco Rutelli Fausto Bertinotti
Party Forza Italia The Daisy PRC
Alliance House of Freedoms The Olive Tree
Leader since26 January 199425 September 200022 January 1994
Leader's seat Milan (C) Rome (C) Piedmont (C)
Seats won368 (C) / 176 (S)241 (C) / 128 (S)11 (C) / 4 (S)
Seat changeIncrease2.svg96 (C) / Increase2.svg33 (S)Decrease2.svg82 (C) / Decrease2.svg29 (S)Decrease2.svg24 (C) / Decrease2.svg6 (S)
Constituency vote16,915,513 (C)
14,406,519 (S)
16,019,388 (C)
13,106,860 (S)
Did not run (C)
1,708,707 (S)
% and swing45.6% (C) Decrease2.svg5.3 pp
42.5% (S) Decrease2.svg5.3 pp
43.2% (C) Increase2.svg1.2 pp
38.7% (S) Decrease2.svg3.5 pp
Did not run (C)
5.0% (S) Increase2.svg2.1 pp
Party vote18,398,246 (C)13,169,239 (C)1,868,659 (C)
% and swing49.6% (C) Decrease2.svg2.6 pp 35.7% (C) Increase2.svg1.0 pp 5.0% (C) Decrease2.svg3.6 pp

2001 Italian general election - Vote Strength.svg
Results of the single-member constituencies in the Chamber of Deputies (left) and Senate (right).

Prime Minister before election

Giuliano Amato
The Olive Tree

Prime Minister after the election

Silvio Berlusconi
House of Freedoms

The 2001 Italian general election was held in Italy on 13 May 2001 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. The election was won by the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms led by Silvio Berlusconi, defeating Francesco Rutelli, former mayor of Rome, and leader of the centre-left coalition The Olive Tree, and rising back to power after Berlusconi's first victory in the 1994 Italian general election.

Contents

Electoral system

The election was regulated by the Mattarella law of 1993, also known as "Mattarellum".

The intricate electoral system, called scorporo , provided 75% of the seats on the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House) as elected by first-past-the-post system, whereas the remaining 25% was assigned on proportional representation with a minimum threshold of 4%.

The method used for the Senate was even more complicated: 75% of seats by uninominal method, and 25% by a special proportional method that assigned the remaining seats to minority parties. Formally, these were examples of mixed-member majoritarian systems with partial compensation.

General election

Campaign

For this election Berlusconi ran again for Prime Minister as leader of the centre-right House of Freedoms (Italian : La Casa delle Libertà), which included the Forza Italia, National Alliance, Northern League, Christian Democratic Centre, United Christian Democrats and other minor parties. The candidate for Prime Minister of the centre-left Olive Tree (Italian : L'Ulivo) was Francesco Rutelli, former mayor of Rome.

On the television interviews programme Porta a Porta , during the last days of the electoral campaign, Berlusconi created a powerful impression on the public by undertaking to sign a so-called Contratto con gli Italiani (English: Contract with the Italians ), an idea copied outright by his advisor Luigi Crespi from the Newt Gingrich's Contract with America introduced six weeks before the 1994 US Congressional election, [1] which was widely considered to be a creative masterstroke in his 2001 campaign bid for prime ministership. In this solemn agreement, Berlusconi claimed his commitment on improving several aspects of the Italian economy and life. Firstly, he undertook to simplify the complex tax system by introducing just two tax rates (33% for those earning over 100,000 euros, and 23% for anyone earning less than that figure: anyone earning less than 11,000 euros a year would not be taxed); secondly, he promised to halve the unemployment rate; thirdly, he undertook to finance and develop a massive new public works programme. Fourthly, he promised to raise the minimum monthly pension rate to 516 euros; and fifthly, he would suppress the crime wave by introducing police officers to patrol all local zones and areas in Italy's major cities. [2] Berlusconi undertook to refrain from putting himself up for re-election in 2006 if he failed to honour at least four of these five promises.

Main coalitions and parties

CoalitionPartyMain ideologySeatsParty leaderCoalition leader
CS
The Olive Tree Democrats of the Left (DS) Social democracy
161
102
Massimo D'Alema Francesco Rutelli
Democracy is Freedom (DL) [b] Social liberalism
102
48
Francesco Rutelli
The Sunflower (FdVSDI) Green politics, social democracy
20
17
Enrico Boselli
Party of Italian Communists (PdCI) Communism
20
6
Oliviero Diliberto
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) Regionalism
4
2
Luis Durnwalder
House of Freedoms Forza Italia (FI) Liberal conservatism
117
45
Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi
National Alliance (AN) National conservatism
88
42
Gianfranco Fini
Northern League (LN) Regionalism
46
18
Umberto Bossi
White Flower (CCDCDU) Christian democracy
18
12
Pier Ferdinando Casini
Italian Republican Party (PRI) Liberalism
1
0
Giorgio La Malfa
New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI) Social democracy
0
0
Gianni De Michelis
Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) Communism
14
3
Fausto Bertinotti
European Democracy (DE) Christian democracy
0
10
Sergio D'Antoni
Bonino List (LB) Liberalism
0
1
Emma Bonino
Tricolour Flame (FT) Neo-fascism
0
1
Pino Rauti
Italy of Values (IdV) Anti-corruption politics
0
0
Antonio Di Pietro
  1. taking into account the Senators for life, which accounted for 9 seats at the time the election took place
  2. An electoral alliance composed of the Italian People's Party, Democrats, Italian Renewal and UDEUR.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Overall results

Summary of the 13 May 2001 Chamber of Deputies election results
Italian Chamber of Deputies, 2001.svg
Italy Chamber of Deputies (coa) 2001.svg
CoalitionPartyProportionalFirst-past-the-postTotal
seats
+/–
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
House of Freedoms Forza Italia (FI)10,923,43129.436216,915,51345.57132194 [3] +71
National Alliance (AN)4,463,20512.02247599+6
Northern League (LN)1,464,3013.9403030−29
White Flower (CCDCDU)1,194,0403.2204040+10
New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)353,2690.95033New
Sardinian Reformers (RS)011+1
New Sicily (NS)011New
Total seats86282368
The Olive Tree Democrats of the Left (DS)6,151,15416.573116,019,38843.15105136−36
Democracy is Freedom (DL)5,391,82714.52275683−12
The Sunflower (FdVSDI)805,3402.1701717
Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)620,8591.6701010New
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)200,0590.54033±0
With Illy for Trieste 78,2840.21011New
Total seats58192250
Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)1,868,6595.0311011−24
Aosta Valley (VdA)025,5770.0711±0
Others3,745,2779.7304,162,29811.2100−1
Total37,259,705100.0015537,122,776100.00475630

Proportional and FPTP results

In 2001 the proportional list exhausted before all the deputies – which the winning party was entitled to – were declared elected. [4]

First-past-the-post
Party or coalitionVotes%Seats
House of Freedoms (CdL)16,915,51345.57282
The Olive Tree (Ulivo)16,019,38843.15183
Italy of Values (IdV)1,487,2874.010
European Democracy (DE)1,310,1193.530
Bonino List (LB)457,1171.230
South Tyrolean People's PartyThe Olive Tree 190,5560.515
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)173,7350.473
Venetian Front League (LFV)173,6180.470
Tricolour Flame (FT)121,5270.330
With Illy for Trieste 78,2840.211
La Bassa in the Parliament26,1510.070
Aosta Valley (VdA)25,5770.071
Autonomist Socialists24,3410.070
Democrats of the Left (Aosta Valley)20,4520.060
Southern Action League (LAM)19,3660.050
Buonanno 19,0460.050
National Social Front (FSN)16,2020.040
Forza Italia – Northern League (Aosta Valley)16,0490.040
European Republicans Movement (MRE)15,6000.040
European Populars13,4470.040
Greens Greens 13,2200.040
Amadu List12,2330.030
New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)9,6630.030
Movement of Freedoms9,0060.020
Camonica Valley – Basta!8,2570.020
People's List8,0910.020
Movement for the Confederation of the Communists6,7770.020
Alternative List 6,6120.020
New Force (FN)6,2940.020
We Sicilians 6,1210.020
National Alliance (Aosta Valley)4,4640.010
Third Pole for Autonomy3,4910.010
Upper Milanese People1,4090.000
Total37,259,705100.00475
Source: Ministry of the Interior
Proportional
PartyVotes%Seats
Forza Italia (FI)10,923,43129.4362
Democrats of the Left (DS)6,151,15416.5731
Democracy is Freedom (DL)5,391,82714.5227
National Alliance (AN)4,463,20512.0224
Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)1,868,6595.0311
Northern League (LN)1,464,3013.940
Italy of Values (IdV)1,443,7253.890
White Flower (CCDCDU)1,194,0403.220
European Democracy (DE)888,2692.390
Bonino List (LB)832,2132.240
The Sunflower (FdVSDI)805,3402.170
Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)620,8591.670
New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)353,2690.950
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)200,0590.540
Tricolour Flame (FT)143,9630.390
Venetian Front League (LFV)74,3530.200
Pensioners' Party (PP)68,3490.180
Sardinian Action PartySardigna Natzione (PSd'Az–SN)34,4120.090
New Country 34,1930.090
Abolizione Scorporo 26,9170.070
Southern Action League (LAM)23,7790.060
National Social Front (FSN)22,9850.060
Greens Greens 18,2620.050
New Force (FN)13,6220.040
Amadu List11,5170.030
European Republicans Movement (MRE)7,9970.020
We Sicilians (NS)7,6370.020
Movement of Freedoms6,7540.020
Free and Strong6,7220.020
Autonomist Socialists6,4920.020
Basta!6,3320.020
Movement for the Confederation of the Communists5,2440.010
Third Pole for Autonomy2,9150.010
Total37,122,776100.00155
Invalid/blank/unassigned votes2,962,621
Total40,085,397
Registered voters/turnout49,256,29581.38
Source: Ministry of the Interior
Popular vote (First-past-the-post)
CdL
45.57%
Olive Tree
43.15%
IdV
4.01%
DE
3.53%
LB
1.23%
Others
2.89%
Popular vote (Proportional)
FI
29.43%
DS
16.57%
DL
14.52%
AN
12.02%
PRC
5.03%
LN
3.94%
IdV
3.89%
CCDCDU
3.22%
DE
2.39%
LB
2.24%
FdVSDI
2.17%
PdCI
1.67%
Others
2.90%

FPTP and proportional results by constituency

ConstituencyTotal
seats
Seats won
CdL Ulivo
Abruzzo 1156
Aosta Valley 11
Apulia 342212
Basilicata 55
Calabria 17116
Campania 1 251510
Campania 2 22148
Emilia-Romagna 32230
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 1082
Lazio 1 321319
Lazio 2 1111
Liguria 1459
Lombardy 1 31292
Lombardy 2 3232
Lombardy 3 1192
Marche 12210
Molise 321
Piedmont 1 19415
Piedmont 2 17161
Sardinia 1495
Sicily 1 2020
Sicily 2 2121
Trentino-Alto Adige 88
Tuscany 29227
Umbria 77
Veneto 1 22202
Veneto 2 15105
Total475282193
ConstituencyTotal
seats
Seats won
CdL Ulivo PRC
Abruzzo 321
Apulia 10631
Basilicata 211
Calabria 633
Campania 1 9531
Campania 2 7421
Emilia-Romagna 9441
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 321
Lazio 1 10451
Lazio 2 431
Liguria 6231
Lombardy 1 10541
Lombardy 2 10541
Lombardy 3 431
Marche 422
Molise 11
Piedmont 1 6411
Piedmont 2 642
Sardinia 422
Sicily 1 752
Sicily 2 743
Trentino-Alto Adige 211
Tuscany 10541
Umbria 22
Veneto 1 8431
Veneto 2 532
Total155865811

Senate of the Republic

Overall results

Summary of the 13 May 2001 Senate of the Republic election results
Italian Senate, 2001.svg
Italy Senate (coa) 2001.svg
CoalitionPartyFirst-past-the-postProportional
(Seats)
Total
seats
+/–
Votes%Seats
House of Freedoms Forza Italia (FI)14.406.51942.571522482+40
National Alliance (AN)45+2
White Flower (CCDCDU)29+4
Northern League (LN)17−10
Italian Republican Party (PRI)1+1
New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)1New
Tricolour Flame (FT) [5] 1
Total seats176
The Olive Tree [6] Democrats of the Left (DS)13,282,495 [7] 39.22 [8] 725164−38
Democracy is Freedom (DL)43−5
Federation of the Greens (FdV)8−6
Italian Democratic Socialists (SDI)6
Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)2New
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)1
Independent candidates 4
Total seats128
Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)1,708,7075.04044−6
European Democracy (DE)1,066,9083.15022New
Italy of Values (IdV)1,140,4893.37011New
Bonino List (LB)677,7252.00000−1
League for Autonomy – Lombard League (LAL)308,5590.91011+1
Tricolour Flame (FT)340,2211.00000−1
Venetian Front League (LFV)138,1340.41000New
South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)126.1770.37202±0
Va' pensiero Padania 119,0580.35000New
National Social Front (FSN)98,1320.29000New
Autonomist Socialists – European Democracy (SA–DE)79,0020.23000New
Pensioners' Party (PP)39,5450.12000±0
New Force (FN)78,5720.23000New
Greens Greens 35,7430.11000±0
Sardinian Action PartySardigna Natzione (PSd'Az–SN)32,8220.10000−1
Aosta Valley (VdA)32,4290.10011±0
Filograna List for Salento21,8570.06000New
We Sicilians (NS)20,7610.06000±0
Southern Action League (LAM)19,9140.06000±0
Basta!19,9130.06000New
Liberal Popular Party10,3010.03000New
Amadu List9,2030.03000New
Alternative List 7,7040.02000
Forza Chiappetta6,9320.02000New
Die Freiheitlichen (dF)5,3540.02000
Franco Greco List4,2840.01000New
Movement of Freedoms4,0230.01000New
Third Pole for Autonomy2,3920.01000New
Movement for the Confederation of the Communists2.1590.01000New
Justice and Progress9500.00000New
Grand Ducal Tuscany6250.00000New
Italian Constitutional Party (PACI)1750.00000New
Independents 4,9750.02000New
Total32,624,584100.0023283315±0
Source: Ministry of the Interior
Popular vote
CdL
42.53%
Olive Tree
38.70%
PRC
5.04%
IdV
3.37%
DE
3.15%
LB
2.00%
Others
5.21%

FPTP and proportional results by constituency

ConstituencyTotal
seats
Seats won
CdL Ulivo Others
Piedmont 17125
Aosta Valley 11
Lombardy 35332
Trentino-Alto Adige 615
Veneto 17161
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 55
Liguria 624
Emilia-Romagna 15114
Tuscany 14113
Umbria 55
Marche 624
Lazio 21156
Abruzzo 541
Molise 211
Campania 22148
Apulia 16151
Basilicata 55
Calabria 862
Sicily 2020
Sardinia 642
Total232152791
ConstituencyTotal
seats
Seats won
Ulivo CdL PRC Others
Piedmont 642
Lombardy 12912
Trentino-Alto Adige 11
Veneto 66
Friuli-Venezia Giulia 22
Liguria 312
Emilia-Romagna 651
Tuscany 541
Umbria 22
Marche 211
Lazio 752
Abruzzo 22
Campania 84211
Apulia 66
Basilicata 22
Calabria 33
Sicily 761
Sardinia 321
Total83512444

Leaders' races

2001 Italian general election (C): Milan Centre
CandidateCoalitionPartyVotes%
Silvio Berlusconi House of Freedoms FI 42,09853.66
Gianni Rivera The Olive Tree Dem 28,65136.52
Benedetto Della Vedova LB 4,8746.21
Adriano Ciccioni IdV 2,8353.61
Total78,458100.0
Turnout81,41280.39
Centre-right hold
Source: Ministry of the Interior
2001 Italian general election (C): Rome – Praenestine
CandidateCoalitionPartyVotes%
Francesco Rutelli The Olive Tree DL 36,45756.73
Elio Vito House of Freedoms FI 25,46339.62
Pietro Tagliatesta IdV 2,3483.65
Total64,268100.0
Turnout66,47977.44
Centre-left hold
Source: Ministry of the Interior

References

  1. Gingrich, Newt; Armey, Dick (1994). Contract With America: The Bold Plan.
  2. Ricolfi, Luca (2005). Dossier Italia: a che punto è il 'contratto con gli italiani. Il mulino.
  3. Including one deputy of the Italian Republican Party
  4. Buonomo, Giampiero (2001). "Cercansi candidati per 14 seggi. La speranza della (lista) civetta". Diritto&Giustizia Edizione Online. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  5. Tricolour Flame made electoral agreements with the House of Freedoms in some constituencies in Sicily.
  6. Including the results of SVP and SVP–Olive Tree.
  7. Including 175,635 votes for the SVP–Olive Tree
  8. Including 0.52% of the vote for the SVP–Olive Tree.