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Italy - Political Flags (Part 3)

Last modified: 2003-04-19 by dov gutterman
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Italian Democratic Socialists (SDI - Socialisti Democratici Italiani)


by Marcus Schmöger, 20 July 2002

For the SDI (Socialisti Democratici Italiani = Italian Democratic Socialists) I only have found the logo, but no flag.
Marcus Schmöger, 20 July 2002

SDI ("Socialisti Democratici Italiani" = Italian Democratic Socialists <www.socialisti.org>) - The SDI is the more left-wing fraction of the former PSI (Partito Socialista Italiano); for the more right-wing part refer to the NPSI. Under the leadership of Enrico Boselli it formed part of the Ulivo coalition in 1996 (in a subcoalition together with "Rinnovamento Italiano") and 2001 (in the "Girasole" subcoalition together with the Verdi). The nine deputies in the Camera dei Deputati and the six senators are part of the respective mixed group ("Misto"). The logo shows the symbol of the SPE (Socialist Party of Europe), the rose with twelve stars in a circle, as the main symbol (see also logo and flag of the "Democratici di Sinistra"). I have not found any evidence for a flag of the SDI, but presumably they have one, as most Italian parties, especially those with socialist roots, have flags.
FGS ("Federazione Giovani Socialisti"= Federation Young Socialists <www.giovanisocialisti.it>) is the youth organization of the SDI, that has its own symbols. The logo can be found at <www.giovanisocialisti.it/simbolo.jpg>. The multi-coloured rose of the logo is also the main feature of the flag of the FGS. However, there are also several inscriptions, not all of which I could figure out on the (not very clear and sharp) fotos.
Fotos of the flag can be found at <www.giovanisocialisti.it/Image038.jpg>, <Image040.jpg>, <Image077.jpg>, <malmoestand.jpg>, <malmoedaily2.jpg>, <malmoedaily3.jpg>, <malmoedaily4.jpg>, <malmoedaily5.jpg>, <genova2000_1.jpg>, <genova2000_2.jpg>, <craxi_1.jpg>, <craxi_2.jpg> and <gbrunored_small.jpg>.
Marcus Schmöger, 31 July 2002


Italian Liberal Party (PLI - Partito Liberale Italiano)


by Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002

PLI ("Partito Liberale Italiano" = Italian Liberal Party <www.partitoliberale.it>) - Founded back in 1922, the PLI was one of the smaller parties in the old party system until 1992. However, this basically right-liberal party (the left-liberal ideas could be found in the PRI and the "Partito Radicale") took part in most of the DC-led governments of that era. After 1992 the party, struck by many scandals, almost disappeared, especially as many of the prominent members either directly became member of the "Forza Italia" or founded small parties supporting the FI in the center-right coalitions (for instance the "Unione di Centro" led by Costa and Biondi). The current logo shows (on a white field) a big black letter "L" with a waving tricolore, beneath the inscription "Partito Liberale".
Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002

Previous Flag


by Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002

At least in former times the PLI had a flag, namely the Italian tricolore with the black letters "PLI" on it. This is shown in [smi75g], p. 340.
Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002


Italian Marxist-Leninist Party (Partito Marxista-Leninista Italiano)


by Marcus Schmöger, 8 August 2002


by Marcus Schmöger, 8 August 2002

PMLI ("Partito Marxista-Leninista Italiano" =Italian Marxist-Leninist Party <www.pmli.it>) - This is a small maoist party, founded in 1977, but having as predecessor the OCBI-ML (Organizzazione Comunista Bolscevica Italiana Marxista-Leninista), founded in 1969. The main flag is described in the statute (Art. 33), see <www.pmli.it/statutopmli.html>:
"La bandiera del Partito è rossa, con falce e martello neri al centro e l'effige di Mao Zedong in nero posta in alto dalla parte dell'asta." (The flag of the party is red, with black hammer & sickle in the center and the image of Mao Zedong in black in the upper hoist.)
As the PMLI adheres to the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin and Mao, whom they consider "maestri" (masters), the also use a red flag with the images of these five (in black), surrounded by a yellow sun-like border and the inscription "Coi maestri vinceremo" (With the masters we shall conquer).
Drawings and fotos of the flags at <www.pmli.it/images/Bandieramaestri02.gif>, <www.pmli.it/22032002.htm> and <16042002.htm>.
Marcus Schmöger, 8 August 2002


Italian People's Party (PPI - Partito Popolare Italiano)

A centrist party
G. Vacca, 22 September 1997


by Marcus Schmöger, 19 July 2002

One of the variants of the logo of the PPI (belonging to "Margherita", sub-coalition of Ulivo). Although the PPI has flags, I have not enough information of the flag.
Marcus Schmöger, 19 July 2002

PPI ("Partito Populare Italiano" = Italian People's Party <www.popolari.it>) - The PPI is the biggest of the parties with roots in the old "Democrazia Cristiana" (DC), taking its name from the pre-WW2 PPI of Don Luigi Sturzo. As the DC, after many scandals, renamed itself into PPI 23 January 1994 , the right fraction left the party to found the CDU (). After the defeat in the 1994 elections, where the PPI formed a centrist coalition with Segni's "Patto per l'Italia", a discussion commenced if the party should ally itself with the center-right coalition of Berlusconi or the center-left coalition. As the majority voted for the center-left option, on 23 July 1995, another fission occurred the right fraction (including the former PPI leader Rocco Buttiglione) founded the CDU (). Now the PPI (under the leadership of Pierluigi Castagnetti) represents mainly the left-catholic wing of the old DC and accordingly allied itself with other center-left parties in the L'Ulivo coalition (for the 1996 and 2001 elections). In the two parliamentary chambers the PPI members are part of the "Margherita" group.
The logo of the PPI shows on a blue field a white gonfalone with an escutcheon with outline in red and a red cross, across the escutcheon the inscription "POPOLARI"; around the logo the inscription "PARTITO POPOLARE ITALIANO". The escutcheon with the red cross recalls the old symbol of the "Democrazia Cristiana" (that had the inscription LIBERTAS on the cross) and can be found in a similar form in other parties claiming heritage of the DC (CDU, CCD, DE). The flag is white and shows the logo in the center. However, as I only found one foto, where the flags were not clearly visible due to being waved. Foto of the flag at <www.popolari.it/FotoMassaCarrara.jpg>.
Marcus Schmöger, 1 August 2002


Italian Renewal (Rinnovamento Italiano)


by Marcus Schmöger, 15 July 2002

Logo of "Rinnovamento Italiano". It belongs to the left-center The Olive Tree (L'Ulivo) coalition (currently in opposition). All these parties belong to the sub-coalition "Margherita".
Marcus Schmöger, 15 July 2002

"Rinnovamento Italiano" (Italian Renewal, a.k.a. Lista Dini <www.rinnovamento.it>) - "Rinnovamento Italiano" is one of the "one-man band" parties emerging in Italy in the 1990ies. Its founder (and also leader up to now) Lamberto Dini was prime minister of a technocratic government 1994-1996, and founded the party (originally called "Lista Dini") for the 1996 elections. It took part in the "L'Ulivo" coalition in 1996 (in a sub-coalition with the SDI) and 2001 (in the "Margherita" sub-coalition). In the two parliamentary chambers the "Rinnovamento" members are part of the "Margherita" group.
The logo of "Rinnovamento Italiano" shows on a blue field a triangle in the national colors, above that the inscription "LISTA DEL RINNOVAMENTO ITALIANO", around the logo 15 yellow stars. I have sent a gif of the logo on 15 July. I don't know if the "Rinnovamento Italiano" has a flag.
Marcus Schmöger, 1 August 2002


Italian Republican Party (PRI - Partito Repubblicano Italiano)


by Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002

PRI ("Partito Repubblicano Italiano" = Italian Republican Party <www.pri.it>) - Founded back in 1895, the PRI is the second-oldest party in Italy. It is a laical, left-liberal party, that has, however, taken part in most of the DC-led governments until 1992. In 1981-1983 Giovanni Spadolini, the leader of the party, even became Italian prime minister of a five-party coalition. Different from other parties of the old system, it was not struck so much by the scandals around 1992. However, there occurred several fissions, the products of which usually allied themselves with the center-left coalition. As being closer to the left, the remaining PRI itself allied in 1996 with the left-center coalition "L'Ulivo" of Romano Prodi. Not much, however, has been heard of the PRI recently. For quite some time the main symbol of the PRI has been the ivy leaf. The current logo shows the ivy leaf on a white background, surrounded by the name of the party in green letters. Logo at <cedweb.mininterno.it:8890>. Being one of the oldest Italian parties, there are some fotos of historical banners of local PRI branches on the web. These feature (on a red or black field) inscriptions, portraits, a sun, but also always ivy twigs. See <consiglio.regione.emilia-romagna.it>.
Marcus Schmöger, 7 August 2002


Italian Socialist Party (PSI - Partito Socialista Italiano)

See: Italian Socialist Party - Historical Flags


Italian Social Movement (Movimento Sociale Italiano)


by Antonio Martins, 9 January 2000

Movimento Sociale Italiano, Mussolini nostalgists; I'm not sure if this party is still active : Tricolor flame burning from a basis with "MSI" lettering on the central panel of the national flag. Based on Paal Ekran's anti-nazi website <www.ekran.no>. Almost identical design as France's Front National
Antonio Martins, 9 January 2000

If I am correct, the MSI was relooked to form G. Fini's "Allianza Nazionale" (claiming to be non-fascist and modern) after the death of his historical leader, a former minister of the Duce .I seem to remember that A.N. still uses the flame in his logo.
Ivan Sache, 10 January 2000

the referred "historical leader" was (as far as I know) Giorgio Almirante. I had no idea of his being a minister in the Fascist government, however.
Santiago Dotor , 11 January 2000

Almirante (1914-1988) started his carreer in 1932 as journalist in the antisemit newspaper "Tevere". He was appointed Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Culture in 1944 (during the Italian Social Republic). He founded the MSI, clearly inspired by the fascist ideology, in 1944 and ruled it until 1950. He was then replaced by Michelini who tried to move the party towards the Christian Democracy and the Monarchists. Almirante then ruled the most radical wing of the party and was involved in violent actions such as the assault of the University of Roma in 1968. When Michelini died in 1969, Almirante was called back as secretary of the MSI. He tried to present himself as the protector of order and freedom against communism and extreme-right. The fascist symbols were removed in 1970. In 1973, the MSI merged with parts of the Monarchists and changes his name to MSI - National Right. In the same time, Almirante motivated by his verbal aggressivity small terrorist groups like Ordine Nuovo, Avanguardia Nazionale, Squadre d'Azione Mussolini, but his direct responsability in terrorist actions was never proved. Ordine Nuovo and his leader P. Rauti rallied the MSI - NR in 1969, but the moderates left in 1976. In the Congress of Sorrente (December 1987), Almirante resigned but won against Rauti, and G. Fini was elected.
Source: Obituary in Encyclopaedia Universalis (Universalia 1989).
Therefore, as I said in my previous message, Fini's Allianze Nazionale was built over the rests of the MSI.
Ivan Sache, 11 January 2000

I worked during two years as international secretary in a french political structure. Even if this structure was not linked with the italian MSI, here is some information:
Antonio Martins was right when he says that Italian-MSI flame was similar to the French-FN one. Some frenchs books about the extreme-right party explained that G.Almirante gave to Jean-Marie Le Pen, MEP and founder of the FN, a sort of copyright to use its tricolour flame in blue-white-red, when Le Pen created the FN,  in 1972.
Jerome Sterkers, 14 November 2001

Then the relationships between both parties, or rather between both leaders, turned sour. MSI refused to admit FN in its supra-national group in European Parliament, and I seem to remember that Almirante explicitely forbid Le Pen to take part to his funerals.
Ivan Sache, 14 November 2001

The MSI has renamed itself into AN (National Alliance - Alleanza Nazionale).
Marcus Schmöger, 1 August 2002


Part IV