Power to the People (Italy)

Summary

Power to the People! (Italian: Potere al Popolo!, PaP) is a political party in Italy. It was launched in December 2017 as a left-wing joint electoral list of anti-capitalist parties and movements which ran in the 2018 general election.[7][8]

Power to the People!
Potere al Popolo!
AbbreviationPaP
Spokespersons
  • Marta Collot
  • Giuliano Granato
Founded18 November 2017 (2017-11-18)
HeadquartersVia Imbriani 218, Naples
IdeologyLeft-wing populism[1]
Euroscepticism
Political positionLeft-wing[2][3] to far-left[4][5][6]
National affiliationPeople's Union (2022–)
Colours  Carmine red
SloganPotere al Popolo!
Chamber of Deputies
0 / 400
Senate of the Republic
0 / 200
European Parliament
0 / 73
Regional Councils
0 / 896
Party flag
Website
poterealpopolo.org
Viola Carofalo, former national spokesperson and leader

In its manifesto, PaP's membership is described as "social and political, anti-liberal and anti-capitalist, communist, socialist, environmentalist, feminist, secular, pacifist, libertarian and southernist left-wing", whose goal as a coalition is "to create real democracy, through daily practices, self-governance experiments, socialisation of knowing and popular participation".[9]

History edit

The coalition was initially proposed by Ex OPG Je so' pazzo, a social centre in Naples.[10] The proposal was endorsed by other social centers in the country, local committees and associations and finally some established parties whereas the idea of building a party and/or list was born during the Je so' pazzo Festival – 2016,[11][12] which had as its name "Let's Build the Popular Power", held in Naples from 9 to 11 September 2016.[13] The following year from 7 to 10 September 2017, there was in Naples the Je so' pazzo Festival – 2017, which had as its name "Power to the People!".[14][15][16][17]

On 18 November 2017, Je so' pazzo's activists held a national assembly for the construction of a truly democratic movement that would give representation to social battles and to the ideas of individuals, social centers, associations and parties that felt themselves to be without representation.[18] On 17 December, the coalition was officially launched with the support of the two main Italian communist parties, the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)[19] and the Italian Communist Party (PCI).[20] Contextually, that same day Viola Carofalo, a Naples-based university researcher in philosophy who had been a long-time activist of Ex OPG Je so' pazzo, was chosen as national spokesperson and as political leader on 6 January 2018.[21] In the 2018 general election on 4 March, PaP obtained 1.1% of the vote and no seats.[22][23]

On 18 March, PaP held a national assembly in which it was decided to continue its program.[24] In January 2019, PaP considered running either independently or in a wider coalition in the next European parliament election,[25] but it ultimately decided not to run.[26][27]

In July 2021 senator Matteo Mantero, elected with the Five Star Movement, joined the party, giving it representation in the Italian Parliament.[28]

International relations edit

After its founding in December 2017, PaP took inspiration from Momentum, the organisation supporting Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom and La France Insoumise, whose leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon spoke of a "common adventure for the construction of a people's alternative for Europe".[29] In April 2018, PaP "lent its support" to Maintenant le Peuple, an alternative Europarty started by Mélenchon, Catarina Martins and Pablo Iglesias Turrión of the French La France Insoumise, Portuguese Left Bloc and Spanish Podemos respectively which was later joined by the Danish Red-Green Alliance, Finnish Left Alliance and Swedish Left Party. PaP called Maintenant le Peuple "a very important call proposed by three of the most popular alternatives from Europe [Left Bloc, Podemos and La France Insoumise], which we can not ignore".[30]

Endorsements edit

PaP has been endorsed by the following public figures:[31]

Election results edit

Italian Parliament edit

Chamber of Deputies
Election year Votes % Seats +/− Leader
2018 370,320 (9th) 1.1
0 / 630
Senate of the Republic
Election year Votes % Seats +/− Leader
2018 319,094 (9th) 1.1
0 / 315

Regional Councils edit

Region Election year Votes % Seats +/−
South Tyrol 2018 1,753 (14th) 0.6
0 / 35
Lombardy 2023 39,913 (11th)[a] 1.4
0 / 80
Emilia-Romagna 2020 8,048 (13th) 0.4
0 / 50
Umbria 2019 1,345 (16th) 0.3
0 / 21
Lazio 2023 10,289 (14th)[a] 0.7
0 / 51
Campania 2020 26,711 (18th) 1.1
0 / 49
  1. ^ a b Into People's Union.

Leadership edit

  • National spokesperson: Viola Carofalo (17 December 2017 – 12 May 2021); Giorgio Cremaschi (12 January 2019 – 12 May 2021); Giuliano Granato (12 May 2021 – present); Marta Collot (12 May 2021 – present)

Logos edit

PaP used different logos:[42][43][44][45]

References edit

  1. ^ Roberto Di Caro; Francesca Sironi (24 August 2018). "Potere al popolo, la via di sinistra al populismo: ecco come il movimento vuole crescere". L'Espresso (in Italian). Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  2. ^ Ylenia Gostoli (28 February 2018). "Power to the People: Left-wing party challenges 'racist logic'". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  3. ^ James Politi (24 February 2018). "Italians protest against resurgence of racism". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  4. ^ Frederika Randall (21 February 2018). "'Shoot the Beasts on Sight': The Far Right and Italy's Elections". The Nation. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  5. ^ Steve Scherer (22 February 2018). "Italian far-left protesters scuffle with police as election tensions rise". reuters.com. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  6. ^ "And Now? Power To The People!". jesopazzo.org. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  7. ^ Adriana Pollice (16 December 2017). "Debutta Potere al popolo: "Non siamo la terza lista di sinistra, ma l'unica"". il Manifesto (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  8. ^ "L'associazionismo si fa partito: nasce la lista "Potere al popolo". today.it (in Italian). 17 December 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Manifesto Potere al Popolo". poterealpopolo.org (in Italian). 10 December 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Nessuno ci rappresenta: facciamolo noi! Potere al Popolo!". jesopazzo.org (in Italian). 14 November 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Je So' Pazzo Festival, 9-11 settembre. Costruiamo Il Potere Popolare!". facebook.com (in Italian). 6 September 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Je So' Pazzo festival 2016: costruiamo il potere popolare". agoravox.it (in Italian). 8 September 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  13. ^ "Da Settembre a per sempre... costruiamo il Potere Popolare!". jesopazzo.org (in Italian). 12 September 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  14. ^ "Je so pazzo festival, nell'ex Opg: primo evento dopo l'estate". identitainsorgenti.com (in Italian). 26 June 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Napoli. Dal 7 al 10 settembre "Je so' pazzo Festival: potere al popolo". contropiano.org (in Italian). 5 September 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Je so' Pazzo Festival 2017. Potere al Popolo!". facebook.com (in Italian). 6 September 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  17. ^ "Je so' Pazzo Festival 2017 – Potere al Popolo". jesopazzo.org (in Italian). 10 September 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Assemblea: costruiamo una lista popolare alle prossime elezioni!". jesopazzo.org (in Italian). 17 November 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  19. ^ "Potere al popolo, Acerbo: "Ieri è nata l'unica vera lista di sinistra: potere al popolo!"". rifondazione.it (in Italian). 18 December 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  20. ^ "#Potere al popolo: il manifesto ed il programma". ilpartitocomunistaitaliano.it (in Italian). 2 January 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  21. ^ "Chi è il "capo politico" di Potere al Popolo?". facebook.com (in Italian). 8 January 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  22. ^ "Eligendo: Camera". elezioni.interno.gov.it (in Italian). 4 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Eligendo: Senato". elezioni.interno.gov.it (in Italian). 4 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  24. ^ Adriana Pollice (18 March 2018). "Ricomincio da trecentomila. Il piano A di Potere al popolo". il Manifesto (in Italian). Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  25. ^ "Potere al Popolo!: Toward next European elections!". poterealpopolo.org. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  26. ^ "La tempesta e le gocce. Comunicato del coordinamento nazionale di Potere al popolo!". poterealpopolo.org (in Italian). 27 March 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  27. ^ Alessandro Bianchi (4 April 2019). "Ecco perché Potere al Popolo non parteciperà alle prossime elezioni europee. Intervista a Cremaschi". Contropiano. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  28. ^ "Potere al Popolo entra in Parlamento con l'ex M5S Mantero: "Sono un marxista, il Movimento delle origini è finito"". la Repubblica (in Italian). 27 July 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
  29. ^ Rosa Gilbert (27 December 2017). "How Jeremy Corbyn and his grassroots movement has inspired young Italians to launch their own Momentum". The Independent. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  30. ^ Cazenaves, Téo (30 April 2018). "Maintenant le peuple : Mélenchon, Iglesias et Martins signent un accord européen à Lisbonne". Le Media Presse (in French). Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  31. ^ "Appello del mondo della cultura, dell'informazione e della conoscenza per il voto a Potere al Popolo". poterealpopolo.org (in Italian). 1 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  32. ^ "L'endorsement social di Sabina Guzzanti, posta un video di "Potere al popolo", partito nato a Napoli". Corriere Della Sera (in Italian). 31 January 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  33. ^ "Vandana Shiva a Firenze, supporta potere al popolo!". poterealpopolo.org (in Italian). 31 January 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  34. ^ "Perché votiamo Potere al popolo". il Manifesto (in Italian). 31 January 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  35. ^ "Il vignettista Vauro sostiene Potere al Popolo!". facebook.com (in Italian). 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  36. ^ "Elezioni, il messaggio di Ken Loach per "Potere al popolo". la Repubblica (in Italian). 5 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  37. ^ "Carrara, Moni Ovadia arriva a sostegno di Potere al Popolo". ecodellalunigiana.it (in Italian). 7 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  38. ^ "Camila Vallejo Dowling ci ha mandato questo video messaggio dal Cile per sostenere Potere al Popolo!". facebook.com (in Italian). 12 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  39. ^ "Mélenchon incontra Potere al popolo: "Sono qui per imparare"". il Manifesto (in Italian). 16 February 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  40. ^ "Bei den Parlamentswahlen am 04.03. in Italien drücke ich der potere al popolo die Daumen. Es braucht eine Kraft für gute Arbeit, soziale Sicherheit und Frieden". twitter.com (in German). 2 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  41. ^ ""Desde Bolivia, venceremos". Evo Morales fa gli auguri a Potere al popolo". il Manifesto (in Italian). 4 March 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  42. ^ "Potere al Popolo – Foto". facebook.com (in Italian). 17 September 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  43. ^ Cecchino Antonini (17 December 2017). "Potere al popolo! Si parte, davvero. Ecco il simbolo". popoffquotidiano.it (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  44. ^ "Logo potere al Popolo". poterealpopolo.org (in Italian). 18 December 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  45. ^ Gabriele Maestri (21 December 2017). "Potere al popolo, per la sinistra basta la stella". isimbolidelladiscordia.it (in Italian). Retrieved 10 March 2018.

External links edit

  • Potere al Popolo! – Noi ci stiamo, chi accetta la sfida? – official website
  • Potere al Popolo – official Facebook page