The 2021 Democratic Party leadership by-election was an election held on 14 March 2021 in which the members of the Democratic Party's National Assembly elected the party Secretary, whose seat had been vacant since 4 March of the same year.
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Procedure edit
Under the internal rules of the Democratic Party, if an incumbent Secretary resigns, the National Assembly can either decide to dissolve itself and call a new primary election, or choose a new Secretary who will serve until the expiration of the Assembly's four years term.
Candidates edit
| Portrait | Name | Offices held | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Enrico Letta (age 57) |
Prime Minister of Italy (2013–2014) Other positions
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History edit
The 2019 Democratic Party leadership election had seen the victory of Nicola Zingaretti, who had become Secretary after winning over 66% of the vote. On 4 March 2021, Zingaretti resigned,[1] planning to hand the party's leadership to former Prime Minister Enrico Letta. Letta, who at the time was working in Paris as a university professor, immediately returned to Italy,[2][3] where he was elected Secretary by the National Assembly in a nearly unanimous vote. In his first speech as leader of the Democratic Party, he set out his agenda, which included the formation a broad alliance alongside centre-left and centrist political forces, making it easier for children of immigrants to obtain Italian citizenship, lowering the minimum voting age from 18 to 16,[4] the introduction of an anti-defection law, and an electoral law reform.[5][6][7]
Results edit
National Assembly of the Democratic Party edit
| Motion to elect Enrico Letta Secretary of the Democratic Party, 14 March 2021 | ||
| Ballot → | ||
|---|---|---|
In favor 
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860 / 866 (99%)
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Against 
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2 / 866 (0.2%)
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| Abstentions | 4 / 866 (0.5%)
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Sources edit
- ^ "Zingaretti si dimette da segretario Pd: 'Mi vergogno si parli solo di poltrone, ora tutti si assumano responsabilità'. Il partito: 'Ci ripensi'". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Maurelli, Luca (12 March 2021). "Enrico Letta il 'francese' saprà difendere l'Italia? I dubbi sul doppio ruolo del neo leader del Pd". Il Secolo d'Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ "Nicola Zingaretti si dimette da segretario Pd". HuffPost Italia (in Italian). 4 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Cipolla, Alessandro (15 March 2021). "PD, il programma di Enrico Letta: voto ai sedicenni e ius soli". Money.it (in Italian). Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Roberts, Hannah (14 March 2021). "Italy's ex-PM Enrico Letta returns to lead Democratic Party". Politico Europe. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Giuffrida, Angela (14 March 2021). "Italian ex-prime minister Enrico Letta elected to lead Democratic party". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ "Letta 'comincia bene' con un discorso più di sinistra che di centro". Wired (in Italian). 15 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2024.