Results of the 1996 Italian general election

The 1996 Italian general election was held on 21 April, resulting in a narrow win for the Romano Prodi-led centre-left coalition, The Olive Tree, which had a covenant of desistance pact with the Communist Refoundation Party, over the Silvio Berlusconi-led centre-right coalition, the Pole for Freedoms, in both houses of the Italian Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. It resulted in the formation of the Prodi I Cabinet. ^[1]

Chamber of Deputies

Overall results

← Summary of the 21 April 1996 Chamber of Deputies election results ^[2] →

Coalition		Party		Proportional			First-past-the-post			Total seats	+/–
				Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	The Olive Tree		Democratic Party of the Left (PDS)	7,894,118	21.06	26	15,747,455	42.01	146	172 [a]	+48
			Populars for Prodi (PPI–UD–PRI–SVP)	2,554,072	6.81	4			65	69 [b]	+18
			Italian Renewal (RI)	1,627,380	4.34	8			18	26 [c]	New
			Federation of the Greens (FdV)	938,665	2.50	0			14	14	+3
			The Network (LR)	—	—	0			3	3	−5
			Ladin Autonomist Union (UAL)	—	—	0			1	1	+1
		Total seats				38			247	285	–
	Pole for Freedoms		Forza Italia (FI)	7,712,149	20.57	37	15,027,030	40.08	86	123 [d]	−9
			National Alliance (AN)	5,870,491	15.66	28			65	93	−17
			CCD – CDU	2,189,563	5.84	12			28	30 [e]	+3
		Total seats				77			169	246	–
	Northern League (LN)	3,776,354	10.07	20	4,038,239	10.77	39	59	−59
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)			3,213,748	8.57	20	982,505	2.62	15	35	−3
	South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)			—	—	0	156,708	0.42	3	3	±0
	Southern Action League (LAM)			72,062	0.19	0	82,373	0.22	1	1	±0
	Aosta Valley (VdA)			—	—	0	37,431	0.10	1	1	±0
Total										630	–

Proportional and FPTP results

First-past-the-post

Parties and coalitions		Vote	%	Seats
	Pole for Freedoms (PpL)	15,027,030	40.09	169
	The Olive Tree (Ulivo)	14,447,548	38.54	228
	Northern League (LN)	4,038,239	10.77	39
	The Olive Tree – Venetian Autonomy League (Ulivo–LAV)	997,534	2.66	14
	Progressives	982,505	2.62	15
	Tricolour Flame (FT)	624,558	1.67	0
	The Olive Tree – Sardinian Action Party (Ulivo–PSd'Az)	269,047	0.72	4
	South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)	156,708	0.42	3
	Southern Action League (LAM)	82,373	0.22	1
	Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS)	69,406	0.19	0
	Clean Hands (MP)	68,443	0.18	0
	Socialist Party (PS)	44,786	0.12	0
	Sardigna Natzione (SN)	42,246	0.11	0
	Aosta Valley (VdA)	37,431	0.10	1
	Democracy and Freedom (DL)	33,326	0.09	1
	Renovation	28,988	0.08	0
	Humanist Party (PU)	27,694	0.07	0
	Italian Renaissance Movement (MRI)	24,074	0.06	0
	Union for South Tyrol (UfS)	23,032	0.06	0
	We Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS)	20,102	0.05	0
	Pact for the Agro	18,836	0.05	0
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)	17,996	0.05	0
	Greens Greens	12,905	0.03	0
	Environmentalists	12,299	0.03	0
	Liberal Federalists (FL)	11,563	0.03	0
	Aosta Valley for the Olive Tree	11,526	0.03	0
	Social Democracy (DS)	9,760	0.03	0
	North-East Union (UNE)	9,669	0.03	0
	Independent Group Freedom (GIL)	8,805	0.02	0
	Natural Law Party (PLN)	7,708	0.02	0
	Moderates	6,208	0.02	0
	New Energies	5,627	0.02	0
	New Democracy (ND)	5,333	0.01	0
	Development and Legality	5,275	0.01	0
	For Marche	4,317	0.01	0
	Resurgence of the South	4,291	0.01	0
	Free North Autonomy	4,013	0.01	0
	New Ways	3,904	0.01	0
	State of Friuli	3,345	0.01	0
	Liberist Solidal Alliance	3,219	0.01	0
	Ingenuity and Audacity	2,805	0.01	0
	Venetian Solidarity	2,655	0.01	0
	South Pole Movement	2,310	0.01	0
	Federalist Italian League (LIF)	2,268	0.01	0
	Trieste Women's Pact	2,121	0.01	0
	Others	71,281	0.19	0
Total		37,295,109	100.00	475

Proportional

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Democratic Party of the Left (PDS)	7,894,118	21.06	26
	Forza Italia (FI)	7,712,149	20.57	37
	National Alliance (AN)	5,870,491	15.66	28
	Northern League (LN)	3,776,354	10.07	20
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)	3,213,748	8.57	20
	Populars for Prodi (PPI–UD–PRI–SVP)	2,554,072	6.81	4
	Christian Democratic Centre–CDU (CCD–CDU)	2,189,563	5.84	12
	Italian Renewal (RI)	1,627,380	4.34	8
	Federation of the Greens (FdV)	938,665	2.50	0
	Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS)	702,988	1.88	0
	Tricolour Flame (FT)	339,351	0.91	0
	Socialist Party (PS)	149,441	0.40	0
	Southern Action League (LAM)	72,062	0.19	0
	North-East Union (UNE)	63,934	0.17	0
	Union for South Tyrol (UfS)	55,548	0.15	0
	Clean Hands (MP)	44,935	0.12	0
	We Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS)	41,001	0.11	0
	Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az)	38,002	0.10	0
	Greens Greens	25,788	0.07	0
	Sardgna Natzione (SN)	23,355	0.06	0
	Independent Group Freedom	17,451	0.05	0
	Environmentalists	15,560	0.04	0
	Humanist Party (PU)	14,601	0.04	0
	Renovation	13,677	0.04	0
	Pact for the Agro	12,297	0.03	0
	Social Democracy	9,319	0.02	0
	Italian Renaissance Movement (MRI)	8,886	0.02	0
	Tuscan Autonomist Movement (MAT)	8,627	0.02	0
	Natural Law Party (PLN)	8,298	0.02	0
	New Democracy	8,185	0.02	0
	Liberal Federalists (FL)	6,475	0.02	0
	For Marche	5,545	0.01	0
	New Energies	5,393	0.01	0
	Development and Legality	5,347	0.01	0
	Free North Autonomy	4,965	0.01	0
	Federalist Party (PF)	3,743	0.01	0
	Resurgence of the South	3,084	0.01	0
Total		100.00	37,484,398	155
Invalid/blank/unassigned votes		–	2,917,376	–
Total		–	40,401,774	–
Registered voters/turnout		82.88%	48,744,846	–
Source: Ministry of the Interior

Popular vote (Proportional) PDS   21.06% FI   20.57% AN   15.66% LN   10.07% PRC   8.57% Popolari   6.81% CCD-CDU   5.84% RI   4.34% FdV   2.50% LPS   1.88% Others   2.68%

Popular vote (First-past-the-post) Ulivo   41.92% PpL   40.09% LN   10.77% PRC   2.62% FT   1.67% Others   3.65%

Senate of the Republic

Overall results

← Summary of the 21 April 1996 Senate of the Republic election results ^[3] →

Coalition		Party		First-past-the-post			Proportional Seats	Total seats	+/–
				Votes	%	Seats
	The Olive Tree		Democratic Party of the Left (PDS)	13,434,607	41.18	134	23	102 [f]	+26
		Italian People's Party (PPI)	27					−4
		Federation of the Greens (FdV)	14					+7
		Italian Renewal (RI)	11 [g]					New
		The Network (LR)	1					−5
		Venetian Autonomy League (LAV)	1					+1
		Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az)	1					+1
	Total seats						157	–
	Pole for Freedoms		Forza Italia (FI)	12,185,020	37.35	67	49	48 [h]	+13
			National Alliance (AN)					43	−4
			Christian Democratic Centre (CCD)					15	+3
			United Christian Democrats (CDU)					10	New
		Total seats						116	–
	Northern League (LN)			3,394,733	10.41	18	9	27	−33
	Progressives			934,974	2.87	10	0	10	−8
	Tricolour Flame (FT)			747,487	2.29	0	1	1	New
	Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS)			509,826	1.56	0	1	1	±0
	The Fir–SVP–PATT			178,425	0.55	2	0	2	−1
	Aosta Valley (VdA)			27,493	0.08	1	0	1	±0
Total								315	–

Proportional and FPTP results

Party or coalition		Votes	%	Seats
				FPTP	Proportional
	The Olive Tree (Ulivo)	13,013,276	39.89	152	23
	Pole for Freedoms (PdL)	12,185,020	37.35	116	49
	Northern League (LN)	3,394,733	10.41	27	9
	Progressives	934,974	2.87	10	0
	Tricolour Flame (FT)	747,487	2.29	0	1
	Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS)	509,826	1.56	0	1
	Socialist Party (PS)	286,426	0.88	0	0
	The Fir–SVP–PATT	178,425	0.55	2	0
	Clean Hands (MP)	109,113	0.33	0	0
	League for Autonomy – Lombard Alliance (LAL)	106,313	0.33	0	0
	North-East Union (UNE)	72,541	0.22	0	0
	We Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS)	71,841	0.22	0	0
	Southern Action League (LAM)	66,750	0.20	0	0
	Greens Greens (VV)	61,434	0.19	0	0
	Pensioners' Party (PP)	60,640	0.19	0	0
	Social Democracy	60,016	0.18	0	0
	Federation of Italian Civic Lists	55,793	0.17	0	0
	Sardigna Natzione (SN)	44,713	0.14	0	0
	Aosta Valley (VdA)	27,493	0.08	1	0
	Piedmont Nation of Europe	26,951	0.08	0	0
	Environmentalists	26,756	0.08	0	0
	Independent Group Freedom (GIL)	23,301	0.07	0	0
	Union for South Tyrol (UfS)	19,330	0.06	0	0
	Tuscan Autonomist Movement (MAT)	18,691	0.06	0	0
	Pact for the Agro	17,980	0.06	0	0
	Renovation	16,216	0.05	0	0
	Aosta Valley for the Olive Tree	10,371	0.03	0	0
	Right of the People	6,710	0.02	0	0
	Natural Law Party (PLN)	10,371	0.03	0	0
	Democrats for Progress	5,688	0.02	0	0
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)	5,681	0.02	0	0
	Popular Movement of Moralization (MPM)	5,297	0.02	0	0
	Azure Alps	5,144	0.02	0	0
	Democratic Alternative for the Roman Castles	4,524	0.01	0	0
	Progressive People's Party (PPP)	4,450	0.01	0	0
	For a Normal Country	3,976	0.01	0	0
	European Dolomite Region	2,898	0.01	0	0
	Free North Autonomy	2,411	0.01	0	0
	Hit the Center	2,178	0.01	0	0
Total		32,624,584	100.00	232	83

Popular vote Ulivo   39.89% PpL   37.35% LN   10.41% Prog.   2.87% FT   2.29% LPS   1.56% Others   5.63%

Maps

Results for the Chamber of Deputies (left) and Senate of the Republic (right) in single-member constituencies. The colour corresponds to the party or coalition that won the constituency. Red represents The Olive Tree, blue the Pole for Freedoms, green the Northern League, dark red the Communist Refoundation Party, black the South-Tyrolean People's Party, indigo the Southern Action League, and turquoise the Aosta Valley coalition.

Composition of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate by coalition

Leaders' races

1996 Italian general election (C): Bologna – Mazzini
Candidate		Coalition	Party	Votes	%
	Romano Prodi	The Olive Tree	Ind	55,830	60.82
	Filippo Berselli	Pole for Freedoms	AN	35,972	39.18
Total				91,802	100.0
Turnout				95,948	92.26
	Centre-left hold
Source: Ministry of the Interior

1996 Italian general election (C): Milan Centre
Candidate		Coalition	Party	Votes	%
	Silvio Berlusconi	Pole for Freedoms	FI	46,098	51.50
	Michele Salvati	The Olive Tree	PDS	32,464	36.27
	Umberto Bossi *		LN	10,179	11.37
	Camillo Comelli		PU	766	0.86
Total				89,507	100.0
Turnout				92,969	82.64
	Centre-right gain from LN
* incumbent defeated
Source: Ministry of the Interior

See also

• Results of the 2022 Italian general election

Notes

1. Including 8 deputies of the Movement of Unitarian Communists (MCU), 6 deputies of the Labour Federation (FL), 5 deputies of the Social Christians (CS), 1 deputy of the Republican Left (SR), and 1 deputy of the Italian Democratic Socialist Party (PSDI)
2. Including 5 deputies of the Democratic Union (UD), and 2 deputies of the Italian Republican Party (PRI)
3. Including 8 deputies of Segni Pact (Patto), 7 deputies of the Italian Socialists (SI), and 1 deputy of the Democratic Italian Movement (MID)
4. Including 3 deputies of the Union of the Centre (UdC)
5. Including 19 deputies of CCD and 11 deputies of CDU
6. Including 5 senators of the Labour Federation (FL) and 4 senators of the Social Christians (CS)
7. Including 5 senators of the Italian Socialists (SI), 1 senator of Segni Pact (PS), and 1 senator of the Democratic Italian Movement (MID)
8. Including 2 senators of the Union of the Centre (UdC)

References

1. "La storia del governo Prodi". La Repubblica (in Italian). 9 October 1998. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
2. "Camera 21/04/1996 – Area Italia". Elezioni Storico (in Italian). Italian Ministry of the Interior. 21 April 1996. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
3. "Senato 21/04/1996 – Area Italia". Elezioni Storico (in Italian). Italian Ministry of the Interior. 21 April 1996. Retrieved 5 October 2022.