Possible (political party)

Possible
Possibile
AbbreviationPos
SecretaryFrancesca Druetti
Founded21 June 2015[1]
Split fromDemocratic Party
HeadquartersVia Giambattista Balbis, 13 Turin[2]
Membership (2015)Increase 4,773[3]
IdeologySocial democracy[4]
Green politics[5]
Feminism[6][7]
Political positionLeft-wing[8][1]
National affiliationFree and Equal (2018)
Green Europe (2019)
Greens and Left Alliance (since 2022)
European Parliament groupProgressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (2015–2019)
Colours  Red
Chamber of Deputies
0 / 400
Senate
0 / 200
European Parliament
0 / 73
Regional
Councils
2 / 896
Website
possibile.com

Possible (Italian: Possibile, Pos) is a left-wing political party in Italy, launched in Rome on 21 June 2015.[1] The party's founder is Giuseppe Civati, a former prominent member of the Democratic Party (PD). Possible's progressive platform is a mixture of social democracy, democratic socialism, green politics, liberalism and elements of participatory democracy.

Possible's logo, including an equals sign, refers to a fundamental issue for the party, equality, inflected in multiple fields such as the economy, conflict of interest, separation of powers, anti-sexism, LGBTI+ rights, and immigration.[9] In late 2017, the party was a founding member of Free and Equal, a left-wing joint list for the 2018 general election, while it is currently part of the Greens and Left Alliance for the 2022 general election.

History

[edit]

In May 2015, after months of tensions with Prime Minister and party secretary Matteo Renzi, Civati chose to leave the PD.[10] Civati, who had lost a bid to become leader of the party to Renzi in 2013, had long accused the Prime Minister of being a right-winger[11][12][13] and moving the PD to the right or toward a centrist "party of the nation".[14][15][16]

Civati followed Luca Pastorino,[17] a member of the Chamber of Deputies who was running, with Civati's support,[18][19] for President in the 2015 Ligurian election and was instrumental in the defeat of the official Democratic candidate.[20][21] Civati and Pastorino were joined by Elly Schlein, a member of the European Parliament sitting in the Socialists and Democrats' Group,[22] and two more deputies, Andrea Maestri and Beatrice Brignone.[23][24][25]

At Possible's launch, Civati explained that it was intended to "have minimum bureaucracy, and membership will be light, participatory, horizontal"[26] and aimed at unifying all the parties, groups and individuals to the left of the PD, including Sergio Cofferati, Stefano Fassina, Nichi Vendola's Left Ecology Freedom (SEL), Maurizio Landini's Social Coalition, the Greens and other environmentalists, etc., in a single party, with a potential support around 10% of the vote.[27] Also representatives of the Italian Radicals, Green Italia, the Communist Refoundation Party, Free Alternative (AL) and Italy Work in Progress (the latter two splinter groups from the Five Star Movement, M5S) showed up at Possible's first convention in Rome.[28][29]

In the run-up of the party's second convention, to be held in July in Florence, some media hinted that five deputies who had left the M5S, four of whom affiliated to AL and one to SEL, and four senators, including the two of Italy Work in Progress, were on the verge of joining Possible,[30][31][32] which was thus close to the formation of a group in the Senate. In the meantime, while being open to a joint party with Civati, the two senators of Italy Work in Progress joined The Other Europe.[33]

As of November, Possible parted ways with most left-wing splinters of the PD, who had launched Future to the Left and joined Italian Left (SI), along with SEL and some left-wing splinters of the M5S.[34][35] For his part, Civati looked interested in organising his party more "outside" than "inside the [political] palace".[36] Consequently, Possible joined forces with AL, which was active also at the grassroots' level, and formed a joint sub-group within the Mixed Group of the Chamber.[37][38][39] Shortly after, one deputy of AL, Toni Matarrelli, directly joined Possible, becoming its fifth deputy.[40]

In January 2016, Civati was elected secretary of the party with 93.2% of the vote by party members.[3]

Between February and March 2017, Mattarelli left the party to join the Democratic and Progressive Movement (MDP), along with splinters from the PD and SI, while Possible chose to sever its ties with AL[41][42] and team up with SI instead, by forming a joint group in the Chamber.[43][44][45]

In December 2017, Possible was a founding member, along with the MDP and SI, of Free and Equal (LeU), the left-wing joint list for the 2018 general election, which chose the President of the Senate and former anti-Mafia prosecutor Pietro Grasso as its leader and candidate for Prime Minister.[46]

In March 2018, following the electoral result below expectations, Civati resigned from secretary. In May Brignone was elected to replace him with 73.9% of the vote by party members, prevailing over David Tozzo with 26.1%.[47] Subsequently, the party quit from LeU,[48] while Tozzo left Possible to remain in LeU.[49]

In the run-up to the 2019 European Parliament election, the party formed, along with the Federation of the Greens and Green Italia, Green Europe (EV).[50][51]

In the run-up of the 2022 general election, the party joined the Greens and Left Alliance (AVS), earlier formed by SI and EV.[52][53][54]

The party was not accepted within AVS for the 2024 European Parliament election and chose not to participate.[55][56]

In May 2024, Francesca Druetti was elected new secretary of the party, replacing Brignone.[57]

Ideology

[edit]

The party, a strong supporter of secularism, calls for a new plan on civil rights (including same-sex marriage, LGBT adoption, legalisation of cannabis and euthanasia), opposes austerity policies, while supporting redistributive ones aimed at a more egalitarian society and is a vocal proponent of environmentalism.[58] Civati, who describes himself both as a social democrat and a liberal[59] (or, more precisely, a "left-wing liberal"),[60] is also known for his stance for a more competitive free market.[61]

Possible's logo, including an equals sign, refers to a fundamental issue for the party, equality, inflected in multiple fields such as the economy, conflict of interest, separation of powers, anti-sexism, LGBT rights, and immigration.[9]

The party's name is reminiscent of the slogan "Yes We Can", used by Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries, "The party of possibilities", title of the motion supporting Civati in the 2013 Democratic Party leadership election,[62] and Podemos, a kin political party in Spain.[63]

Election results

[edit]

Italian Parliament

[edit]
Chamber of Deputies
Election year Votes % Seats +/− Leader
2018 into LeU –
1 / 630
–
Giuseppe Civati
Senate of the Republic
Election year Votes % Seats +/− Leader
2018 into LeU –
0 / 315
–
Giuseppe Civati

European Parliament

[edit]
European Parliament
Election year Votes % Seats +/– Leader
2019 Into EV –
0 / 73
–
Giuseppe Civati[a]
  1. ^ As main candidate.

Leadership

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Sappino, Luca (22 June 2015). "Pippo Civati vara il suo movimento "Possibile" Obiettivo: unire la sinistra. E si inizia con Sel". l'Espresso (in Italian).
  2. ^ "Contatti - Possibile". Possibile.com. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Congresso di Possibile, terminata la fase 2 - Possibile". Possibile.com. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  4. ^ Gastaldi, Sciltian (1 December 2013). "Primarie Pd: Civati, la non-sorpresa". il Fatto Quotidiano.
  5. ^ "Pippo Civati lancia Possibile, a sinistra del governo - Speciali". ANSA.it. 2 June 2015.
  6. ^ Cavalli, Giulio (27 May 2015). "Nasce "Possibile" il movimento di Pippo Civati: a sinistra nel segno dell'uguaglianza".
  7. ^ "Giuseppe Civati pensa a una candidatura alle elezioni europee 2019". www.giornalettismo.com. 18 March 2019.
  8. ^ "Pippo Civati: "Festeggio i due anni di Possibile con una nuova scissione del Pd"". 6 April 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Nasce "Possibile" il movimento di Pippo Civati: a sinistra nel segno dell'uguaglianza". Left. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  10. ^ "Archivio Corriere della Sera". Archiviostorico.corriere.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  11. ^ "il manifesto". Ilmanifesto.info. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  12. ^ "Pd, Civati attacca Renzi: va a destra "Minoranza Dem non è tappetino"". Tgcom24.mediaset.it. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Renzi è di destra. Dobbiamo rifare la sinistra | Il Garantista". 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 20 November 2014.
  14. ^ "Civati: "Se il Pd diventa partito della Nazione, io vado via e farò dell'altro"". Gds.it. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Civati verso il Misto: non voglio stare nel partito della Nazione - DIRE.it". Dire.it. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Pippo Civati: "Dalla Liguria inizia il nostro partito nuovo, sarà come la Scozia"". Giornalettismo.com. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  17. ^ "Luca Pastorino insieme a Civati entra in". Ricerca.repubblica.it. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  18. ^ "Luca Pastorino, un civatiano senza Civati, sfiderà la renziana Raffaella Paita. In Liguria il Pd si divide". Huffingtonpost.it. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  19. ^ "Liguria, sfida campale. Civati a Renzi: sarà la nostra Scozia". Lastampa.it. 14 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Regionali 2015: la sconfitta di Raffaella Paita in Liguria comincia dal comitato deserto fino a notte fonda". Huffingtonpost.it. 31 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  21. ^ "REGIONALI 2015. RAFFAELLA PAITA: "SCONFITTA PESANTE. COLPA DI PASTORINO. OPERAZIONE ORGANIZZATA AD ARTE PER FAR PERDERE IL PD"". Pmperiapost.it. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  22. ^ "Pd, l'eurodeputata Schlein segue Civati: "Questo partito non esiste già più" - Il Fatto Quotidiano". Ilfattoquotidiano.it. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  23. ^ "Camera, ecco un altro anti Renzi - PRIMO PIANO - Italiaoggi". Italiaoggi.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  24. ^ "Emendamento ILVA: il PD contro la giustizia e i lavoratori - Possibile". Possibile.com. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  25. ^ "La moretta ma non quella di Fano, quella di Senigallia". Ciwati.it. 24 July 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  26. ^ ""Possibile", la cosa rossa di Civati". Ansa.it. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  27. ^ "Civati: la sinistra Possibile vale almeno il 10% dei voti". Lastampa.it. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  28. ^ "SINISTRA/ Alternativa è "Possibile", parte il nuovo soggetto di Civati - Online-News". Online-news.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  29. ^ "Pippo Civati lancia il tesseramento nell'assemblea di "Possibile" | Corriere Quotidiano". Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
  30. ^ "Nuovi gruppi parlamentari: al Senato resuscita l'Italia dei Valori - Il Fatto Quotidiano". Ilfattoquotidiano.it. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  31. ^ "M5s, la lunga diaspora degli ex. Due passano all'Idv, altri tre incerti, tanti strizzano l'occhio a Civati. E Alternativa libera..." Huffingtonpost.it. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  32. ^ "Il Messaggero - Flashnews". Ilmessaggero.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  33. ^ ""Nel M5S le posizioni arrivano dall'alto. Adesso interloquiamo con progressisti e democratici". Intervista al senatore Campanella de "L'altra Europa con Tsipras" - Terzo Binario News". Terzobinario.it. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  34. ^ "Nasce 'Sinistra italiana', nuovo gruppo di 31 deputati. Fassina: "Siamo alternativi al liberismo da Happy Days di Renzi" - Politica". Ansa.it. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  35. ^ "Si chiamerà "Sinistra italiana": domani Sel e gli ex Pd battezzano il nuovo gruppo 'anti-Renzi'". Huffingtonpost.it. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  36. ^ "Il novembre caldo degli anti Renzi: Fassina e Sel insieme, Civati lancia ufficialmente il suo nuovo partito". Huffingtonpost.it. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  37. ^ "Camera, gruppi parlamentari in fermento: Alternativa libera-Possibile, entra Civati esce Rizzetto - Il Fatto Quotidiano". Ilfattoquotidiano.it. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  38. ^ "Ex grillini di Alternativa Libera seguono Civati: nasce Al-Possibile - Termometro Politico". Termometropolitico.it. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  39. ^ "Civatiani ed ex M5s, nasce Alternativa Libera-Possibile". Dire.it. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  40. ^ ""Un'altra idea dell'Italia è possibile", Matarrelli dialoga con Pippo Civati - Brindisi Oggi, news Brindisi notizie Brindisi e provincia". Brindisioggi.it. 16 December 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  41. ^ Libera, Alternativa (20 March 2017). "Camera, la componente parlamentare Alternativa Libera cambia nome". Alternativa Libera.
  42. ^ "Alternativa Libera cambia nome alla Camera in "Tutti Insieme per l'Italia"". Mainfatti.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  43. ^ "Sinistra Italiana e Possibile insieme alla Camera. Ma il primo scoglio è Civati capogruppo". Repubblica.it. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  44. ^ "Possibile e Sinistra Italiana. Dopo i gruppi, la lista unitaria - Left". Left.it. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  45. ^ "il manifesto". Ilmanifesto.it. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  46. ^ "Liberi e uguali, Grasso: 'Ecco la nuova sinistra' - Politica". ANSA.it. 3 December 2017.
  47. ^ "Beatrice Brignone è la nuova segretaria di Possibile". Fanpage (in Italian). Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  48. ^ "SINISTRA, BRIGNONE: POSSIBILE FUORI DA PARTITO UNICO, BUON LAVORO A COSTITUENTE LEU". Possibile. 14 June 2018.
  49. ^ "Tozzo: 'Aderiamo a Liberi e Uguali, alle Europee serve una sinistra unita e neo-populista'". Blasting News. 9 August 2018.
  50. ^ "Europa Verde: un progetto comune di Verdi e Possibile per le Europee -". 5 April 2019.
  51. ^ "Europee 2019, la lista Europa Verde nasce di venerdì: un messaggio sul clima". 5 April 2019.
  52. ^ "Pippo Civati candidato alle elezioni: Possibile stringe l'accordo con Verdi e Sinistra". 18 August 2022.
  53. ^ "Pippo Civati e Beatrice Brignone candidati per Europa Verde-Sinistra italiana". 18 August 2022.
  54. ^ "Pippo Civati si candida alle elezioni: Possibile raggiunge l'accordo con Verdi e Sinistra". 18 August 2022.
  55. ^ https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/povera-sinistra-salta-laccordo-avs-e-civati-sulle-europee-2310538.html [bare URL]
  56. ^ "Cosa c'è dietro la rottura tra Possibile e Avs: Perché il partito fondato da Civati non va alle europee". 16 April 2024.
  57. ^ "Druetti nuova segretaria di Possibile".
  58. ^ "Pippo Civati lancia Possibile, a sinistra del governo". Ansa. 3 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  59. ^ "[ciwati] - Il blog di Giuseppe Civati". Europa.civati.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  60. ^ "Roma Italia Lab". Roma Italia Lab. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  61. ^ "Primarie: Il confronto tra Renzi, Cuperlo e Civati su SkyTg24 | Giornalettismo". Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  62. ^ "[ciwati] - Il blog di Giuseppe Civati" (PDF). Civati.it. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  63. ^ "Civati lancia 'Possibile': il nuovo movimento anti-Renzi". Blasting News. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
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