Action (Italy)
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| Action (Italy) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Action |
| Native name | Azione |
| Leader | Carlo Calenda |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Rome |
| Ideology | Liberalism, Social liberalism, Pro-Europeanism |
| Position | Centre |
| National | Third Pole |
| European | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party |
| Seats1 title | Chamber of Deputies |
| Seats2 title | Senate |
| Website | azione.it |
Action (Italy) is an Italian political party founded in 2019 by Carlo Calenda following his departure from Democratic Party and his tenure as Minister of Economic Development in the Renzi Cabinet. The party situates itself at the centre of the Italian political spectrum, advocating European Union integration, market-oriented reforms, and progressive social policies. Action has engaged in national coalitions, participated in regional contests, and sought to shape debates on industrial policy, public administration reform, and innovation.
History
Action was launched in 2019 after Calenda left the Democratic Party and contested the 2019 European Parliament election as part of the +Europa list alongside Emma Bonino, Enzo Bianco, and Marco Cappato. The party's early organization drew members from the Italian Socialist Party, former officials of the Ministry of Economic Development (Italy), and activists linked to McKinsey & Company alumni and Banking sector reformers. In 2021 Action formalized its structure, recruiting regional figures such as Raffaele Trano and collaborating with civic lists that had come to prominence during the 2018 Italian general election. During the 2022 Italian general election cycle, Action joined the Third Pole with Italia Viva and leaders such as Matteo Renzi and Giovanni Toti engaged in negotiations over electoral strategy. The party has contested municipal elections in cities like Rome, Milan, Turin, and Bologna and has been involved in parliamentary debates on the Next Generation EU recovery plan and the Draghi Cabinet's priorities.
Ideology and Political Position
Action describes itself as liberal and pro-European, aligning with traditions of Enrico Letta-era centrism and elements of Giuliano Amato technocratic reformism. Its platform emphasizes Market efficiency, competition policy in line with European Commission directives, and an industrial policy consistent with Horizon Europe objectives. On social issues Action supports civil liberties in the vein of Emma Bonino and secularist positions associated with Antonio Di Pietro's anti-corruption legacy. The party positions itself against populist movements such as Lega Nord and Five Star Movement, and opposes the sovereignist orientation of figures like Matteo Salvini and Giorgia Meloni, while advocating a centrist alternative to the Brothers of Italy and centre-left factions such as Enrico Letta's Democratic Party.
Organization and Membership
Action's leadership structure centers on founder Carlo Calenda with a national secretariat and regional coordinators drawn from municipal and regional assemblies. Prominent members and collaborators include former ministers, MEPs, and regional councillors from areas such as Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna. The party attracts professionals from the European Investment Bank networks, former staff of the Ministry of Economic Development (Italy), think-tank contributors linked to Istituto Affari Internazionali, and civic activists who previously worked with Open Polis and Association for European Integration and Human Rights. Recruitment has targeted urban centers with concentrations of managers, entrepreneurs, and civil servants connected to institutions like Italian Stock Exchange and Confindustria. Internal organs include policy commissions on transport, industry, and digital transition, staffed by experts who have collaborated with OECD and World Bank projects in Italy.
Electoral Performance
Action's electoral presence has been modest but strategically focused. In the 2019 European Parliament elections its affiliates ran within the +Europa list, while in the 2022 general election cycle the Third Pole coalition won representation through coordinated single-member district bids against candidates from centre-left and centre-right blocs. The party has achieved municipal council seats in Rome, Milan, and smaller provincial capitals, and has secured a limited number of deputies and senators by way of electoral pacts and coalitions. Action's vote share tends to be concentrated in metropolitan areas with higher education and professional density, mirroring patterns seen for centrist lists during the 2018 Italian general election and the 2014 European Parliament election in Italy.
Policies and Platform
Action emphasizes industrial policy, advocating a mix of state-led investment in strategic sectors and market liberalization consistent with European Commission competition rules. Key policy proposals include support for Next Generation EU deployment, incentives for green transition aligned with Fit for 55 Package, vocational training reforms referencing Pact for Italy initiatives, and administrative simplification echoing Bassanini reforms principles. On taxation the party proposes targeted incentives for research and development in line with Horizon 2020 precedents and measures to attract foreign direct investment comparable to initiatives by the Italian Trade Agency. Action supports civil rights legislation inspired by European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence and backs international commitments under treaties such as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
International Relations and Alliances
Internationally, Action affiliates with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and maintains relations with centrist parties like Renaissance (French political party), Ciudadanos, and Volt Europa. The party's foreign policy stance favors deeper integration within the European Union, stronger transatlantic ties with NATO, and coordinated responses to geopolitical challenges involving Russia, China, and migration routes in the Mediterranean Sea region. Action has engaged with European liberal networks, met with officials from the European Commission, and participated in fora alongside representatives from Liberal International and policy institutes such as European Policy Centre.