2001 Italian general election

2001 Italian general election

← 1996 13 May 2001 2006 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 630 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 315 seats in the Senate
Turnout	81.4%
Leader Silvio Berlusconi Francesco Rutelli Alliance House of Freedoms The Olive Tree Leader's seat Milan Centre Rome Praenestine Seats won 368 C / 176 S 241 C / 128 S Seat change 96 C / 33 S 82 C / 29 S Coalition vote 18,398,246 C 14,406,519 S 13,023,651 C 13,106,860 S Percentage 49.6% (C) 42.5% (S) 35.1% (C) 38.7% (S)
Results of the single-member constituencies in the Chamber of Deputies (left) and Senate (right).
Prime Minister before election Giuliano Amato The Olive Tree Appointed Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi House of Freedoms

A national 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 14th Parliament of the Italian republic was chosen.

The election was won by the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms led by Silvio Berlusconi, defeating Francesco Rutelli, former Mayor of Rome, and Prime Ministerial candidate of the centre-left coalition The Olive Tree, and rising back to power after Berlusconi's first victory, in the 1994 general election.

Electoral system

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 a proportional way 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 additional member systems.

General election

Campaign

For this election Berlusconi again ran as leader of the centre-right coalition the House of Freedoms (Italian: La Casa delle Libertà), which included the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, the Northern League, the National Alliance and other parties.

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

Coalition		Party		Main ideology	Leader
	House of Freedoms		Forza Italia (FI)	Liberal conservatism	Silvio Berlusconi
			National Alliance (AN)	National conservatism	Gianfranco Fini
			Northern League (LN)	Regionalism	Umberto Bossi
			White Flower (CCD–CDU)	Christian democracy	Pier Ferdinando Casini
			New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)	Social liberalism	Gianni De Michelis
			Italian Republican Party (PRI)	Liberalism	Giorgio La Malfa
			Tricolour Flame (FT)	Neo-fascism	Pino Rauti
	The Olive Tree		Democrats of the Left (DS)	Social democracy	Massimo D'Alema
			The Daisy (DL)	Social liberalism	Francesco Rutelli
			The Sunflower (FdV–SDI)	Eco-socialism	Enrico Boselli
			Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)	Communism	Oliviero Diliberto
			South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)	Regionalism	Luis Durnwalder
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)			Communism	Fausto Bertinotti
	Italy of Values (IdV)			Anti-corruption politics	Antonio Di Pietro
	European Democracy (DE)			Christian democracy	Sergio D'Antoni
	Bonino List (LB)			Libertarianism	Emma Bonino

Coalitions' leaders

Portrait	Name		Most recent position	Refs
		Silvio Berlusconi (1936– )	Prime Minister of Italy (1994–1995) Other positions Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1994–incumbent) President of Forza Italia (1994–incumbent)	[3][4]
		Francesco Rutelli (1954– )	Mayor of Rome (1993–2001) Other positions Mayor of Rome (2001–2008) Minister of Environment (1993–1993) Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1983–1994)	[5][6]
		Fausto Bertinotti (1940– )	Secretary of the CommunistRefoundation Party (1994–incumbent) Other positions Member of the European Parliament (1999–incumbent) Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1994–incumbent)	[7][8]
		Antonio Di Pietro (1950– )	Minister of Public Works (1996–1996) Other positions President of Italy of Values (1998–incumbent)	[9][10]
		Sergio D'Antoni (1946– )	General Secretary of CISL (1991–2000) Other positions None	[11][12]
		Emma Bonino (1948– )	European Commissioner for Healthand Consumer Protection (1995–1999) Other positions Member of the European Parliament (1979–1988; 1999–incumbent) Member of the Chamber of Deputies (1976–1978; 1979–1986; 1987–1990; 1992–1995)	[13][14]

Results

Chamber of Deputies

← Summary of the 13 May 2001 Chamber of Deputies election results →

Coalition		Party		Proportional			First-past-the-post			Total seats	+/–
				Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
	House of Freedoms		Forza Italia (FI)	10,923,431	29.43	62	16,915,513	45.57	132	194[15]	+71
			National Alliance (AN)	4,463,205	12.02	24			75	99	+6
			Northern League (LN)	1,464,301	3.94	0			30	30	−29
			White Flower (CCD–CDU)	1,194,040	3.22	0			40	40	+10
			New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)	353,269	0.95	0			3	3	New
			Sardinian Reformers (RS)	N/A	N/A	0			1	1	+1
			New Sicily (NS)	N/A	N/A	0			1	1	New
		Total seats				86			282	368	–
	The Olive Tree		Democrats of the Left (DS)	6,151,154	16.57	31	16,019,388	43.15	105	136	−36
			The Daisy (DL)	5,391,827	14.52	27			56	83	−12
			The Sunflower (FdV–SDI)	805,340	2.17	0			17	17	–
			Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)	620,859	1.67	0			10	10	New
			South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)	200,059	0.54	0			3	3	±0
			With Illy for Trieste	78,284	0.21	0			1	1	New
			Aosta Valley (VdA)	N/A	N/A	0	25,577	0.07	1	1	±0
		Total seats				58			192	251	–
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)			1,868,659	5.03	11	N/A	N/A	0	11	−24
Total										630	–

Proportional

In 2001 the proportional list exhausted before all the deputies - which the winning party was entitled to - were declared elected.^[16]

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Forza Italia (FI)	10,923,431	29.43	62
	Democrats of the Left (DS)	6,151,154	16.57	31
	Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL)	5,391,827	14.52	27
	National Alliance (AN)	4,463,205	12.02	24
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)	1,868,659	5.03	11
	Northern League (LN)	1,464,301	3.94	0
	Italy of Values	1,443,725	3.89	0
	White Flower (CCD–CDU)	1,194,040	3.22	0
	European Democracy (DE)	888,269	2.39	0
	Bonino List (LB)	832,213	2.24	0
	The Sunflower (FdV–SDI)	805,340	2.17	0
	Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)	620,859	1.67	0
	New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)	353,269	0.95	0
	South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)	200,059	0.54	0
	Tricolour Flame (FT)	143,963	0.39	0
	Venetian Front League (LFV)	74,353	0.20	0
	Pensioners' Party (PP)	68,349	0.18	0
	Sardinian Action Party–Sardinia Nation (PSd'Az–SN)	34,412	0.09	0
	New Country	34,193	0.09	0
	Abolizione Scorporo	26,917	0.07	0
	Southern Action League (LAM)	23,779	0.06	0
	National Social Front (FSN)	22,985	0.06	0
	Greens Greens (VV)	18,262	0.05	0
	New Force (FN)	13,622	0.04	0
	Amadu List	11,517	0.03	0
	European Republicans Movement (MRE)	7,997	0.02	0
	We Sicilians	7,637	0.02	0
	Movement of Freedoms	6,754	0.02	0
	Free and Strong	6,722	0.02	0
	Autonomous Socialists	6,492	0.02	0
	Stop!	6,332	0.02	0
	Communism	5,244	0.01	0
	Third Pole for Autonomy	2,915	0.01	0
Total		37,122,776	100.00	155
Invalid/blank/unassigned votes		2,962,621	–	–
Total		40,085,397	–	–
Registered voters/turnout		49,256,295	81.38	–
Source: Ministry of the Interior

Popular vote (Proportional) FI   29.43% DS   16.57% DL   14.52% AN   12.02% PRC   5.03% LN   3.94% IdV   3.89% CCD-CDU   3.22% DE   2.39% Bonino   2.24% FdV-SDI   2.17% PdCI   1.67% Others   2.90%

First-past-the-post

Parties and coalitions		Votes	%	Seats
	House of Freedoms (CdL)	16,915,513	45.57	282
	The Olive Tree (Ulivo)	16,019,388	43.15	183
	Italy of Values (IdV)	1,487,287	4.01	0
	European Democracy (DE)	1,310,119	3.53	0
	Bonino List (LB)	457,117	1.23	0
	South Tyrolean People's Party–The Olive Tree (SVP–Ulivo)	190,556	0.51	5
	South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)	173,735	0.47	3
	Venetian Front League (LFV)	173,618	0.47	0
	Tricolour Flame (FT)	121,527	0.33	0
	With Illy for Trieste	78,284	0.21	1
	La Bassa in Parliament	26,151	0.07	0
	Aosta Valley (VdA)	25,577	0.07	1
	Autonomous Socialists	24,341	0.07	0
	Democrats of the Left (Aosta Valley)	20,452	0.06	0
	Southern Action League (LAM)	19,366	0.05	0
	Buonanno	19,046	0.05	0
	National Social Front (FSN)	16,202	0.04	0
	Forza Italia–Northern League (Aosta Valley)	16,049	0.04	0
	European Republicans Movement (MRE)	15,600	0.04	0
	European Populars	13,447	0.04	0
	Greens Greens (VV)	13,220	0.04	0
	Amadu List	12,233	0.03	0
	New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)	9,663	0.03	0
	Freedom Movement	9,006	0.02	0
	Camonica Valley–Liberal Democrats	8,257	0.02	0
	People's List	8,091	0.02	0
	Communism	6,777	0.02	0
	Alternative List	6,612	0.02	0
	New Force (FN)	6,294	0.02	0
	We Sicilians	6,121	0.02	0
	National Alliance (Aosta Valley)	4,464	0.01	0
	Third Pole for Autonomy	3,491	0.01	0
	Alto Milanese People	1,409	0.00	0
Total		37,259,705	100.00	475

Popular vote (First-past-the-post) CdL   45.57% Olive Tree   43.15% IdV   4.01% DE   3.53% Bonino   1.23% Others   2.89%

Senate of the Republic

← Summary of the 13 May 2001 Senate of the Republic election results →

Coalition		Party		First-past-the-post			Proportional (Seats)	Total seats	+/–
				Votes	%	Seats
	House of Freedoms		Forza Italia (FI)	16,915,513	45.57	152	24	82	+40
			National Alliance (AN)					45	+2
			White Flower (CCD–CDU)					29	+4
			Northern League (LN)					17	−10
			Italian Republican Party (PRI)					1	+1
			New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI)					1	New
			Tricolour Flame (FT)	340,221	1.00		0	1	±0
		Total seats						176	–
	The Olive Tree[17]		Democrats of the Left (DS)	13,408,672[18]	39.59[19]	74	51	64	−38
			The Daisy (DL)					43	−5
			Federation of the Greens (FdV)					8	−6
			Italian Democratic Socialists (SDI)					6	–
			South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)					3	+1
			Party of Italian Communists (PdCI)					2	New
			Independent candidates					4	–
			Aosta Valley (VdA)	32,429	0.10	0	1	1	±0
		Total seats						131	–
	Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)			1,708,707	5.04	0	4	4	−6
	European Democracy (DE)			1,066,908	3.15	0	2	2	New
	Italy of Values (IdV)			1,140,489	3.37	0	1	1	New
	Lombard Autonomy League (LAL)			308,559	0.91	0	1	1	+1
	Bonino List (LB)			677,725	2.00	0	0	0	−1
	Venetian Front League (LFV)			138,134	0.41	0	0	0	New
	Va' pensiero Padania			119,058	0.35	0	0	0	New
	National Social Front (FSN)			98,132	0.29	0	0	0	New
	European Democracy–Autonomist Socialists (DE–SA)			79,002	0.23	0	0	0	New
	Pensioners' Party (PP)			39,545	0.12	0	0	0	±0
	New Force (FN)			78,572	0.23	0	0	0	New
	Greens Greens (VV)			35,743	0.11	0	0	0	±0
	Sardinian Action Party–Sardinia Nation (PSd'Az–SN)			32,822	0.10	0	0	0	−1
	Others			160,025	0.46	0	0	0	–
Total				33,871,262	100.00	232	83	315	–

Popular vote CdL   42.53% Olive Tree   38.70% PRC   5.04% IdV   3.37% DE   3.15% Bonino   2.00% Others   5.21%

Maps

Results for the Chamber of Deputies (left) and Senate of the Republic (right) in single-member constituencies. The color corresponds to the party that won more votes in that area. Blue represents the House of Freedoms, red The Olive Tree, and turquois the Aosta Valley coalition.

Leaders' races

2001 Italian general election (C): Milan Centre
Candidate		Coalition	Party	Votes	%
	Silvio Berlusconi	House of Freedoms	FI	42,098	53.66
	Gianni Rivera	The Olive Tree	Dem	28,651	36.52
	Benedetto Della Vedova		LB	4,874	6.21
	Adriano Ciccioni		IdV	2,835	3.61
Total				78,458	100.0
Turnout				81,412	80.39
	Centre-right hold
Source: Ministry of the Interior

2001 Italian general election (C): Rome – Praenestine
Candidate		Coalition	Party	Votes	%
	Francesco Rutelli	The Olive Tree	DL	36,457	56.73
	Elio Vito	House of Freedoms	FI	25,463	39.62
	Pietro Tagliatesta		IdV	2,348	3.65
Total				64,268	100.0
Turnout				66,479	77.44
	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. I manifesti elettorali di Silvio Berlusconi dal 1994 ad oggi
4. Berlusconi: il contratto del 2001
5. Rutelli ammette la sconfitta. "Ora opposizione dura"
6. Politiche 2001: manifestazione di chiusura della campagna elettorale per il nord Italia con Francesco Rutelli
7. Rutelli non convince Bertinotti. "Da soli alle elezioni"
8. Elezioni, Bertinotti: "Non ci sarà desistenza con l'Ulivo"
9. Elezioni 2001, navigando tra i siti della politica
10. Ministero dell'Interno – Archivio Storico Elezioni
11. Sergio D'Antoni – Enciclopedia Treccani
12. Il centrodestra dilaga in Sicilia: 61 collegi su 61
13. Radicali nelle istituzioni
14. Emma Bonino – Biografia
15. Including one deputy of the Italian Republican Party
16. Buonomo, Giampiero (2001). "Cercansi candidati per 14 seggi. La speranza della (lista) civetta". Diritto&Giustizia edizione online.  – via Questia (subscription required)
17. Including the results of SVP and SVP–Olive Tree
18. 13,106,860 votes for The Olive Tree, 175,635 votes for the SVP–Olive Tree and 126,177 votes for the SVP
19. 38.70% of the votes for The Olive Tree, 0.52% of the votes for the SVP–Olive Tree and 0.37% of the votes for the SVP

External links

• Repubblica.it: About 2001 Election (in Italian)
• Corriere della Sera: About 2001 Election (in Italian)
• CNN.com: About 2001 Election
• Minister of Internal Affairs of Italy: 2001 Election Results, Chamber of Deputies (in Italian)
• Minister of Internal Affairs of Italy: 2001 Election Results, Senate of the Republic (in Italian)