Always Forward (Italian: Sempre Avanti) was a liberal and centrist faction within the Democratic Party (PD),[1] a political party in Italy. Its leaders were Roberto Giachetti and Anna Ascani, close advisors of Matteo Renzi, party's former national secretary and former Prime Minister of Italy from February 2014 to December 2016.[2]

Always Forward
Sempre Avanti
LeadersRoberto Giachetti
Anna Ascani
FoundedJune 2019
DissolvedSeptember 2019
Merged intoItalia Viva
IdeologyLiberalism
Reformism
Economic liberalism
Political positionCentre
Website
Official website

The movement rose around Giachetti's candidacy as secretary in March 2019 leadership election, where he arrived third, gaining 12% of votes.[3] Always Forward was considered Renzi's most loyal faction, which opposed any deal with secretary Nicola Zingaretti, a social democrat.[4]

On 17 September, during an interview to Italian newspaper la Repubblica, Renzi announced his intention to leave the PD, and create new parliamentary groups, led by himself.[5] On the same day, interviewed by Bruno Vespa during the late-night TV talk-show Porta a Porta, he officially launched Italia Viva (IV).[6] Almost every member of Always Forward, including Roberto Giachetti, followed Renzi in the new movement, while Anna Ascani remained within the PD, of which she was serving as vice president.[7][8] This brought to the de facto end of the faction.

References

edit
  1. ^ Associazione Sempre Avanti
  2. ^ Da Boschi a Giachetti, ad Assisi l’ultima giornata della convention di «Sempre avanti»
  3. ^ PD. Zingaretti 68%, Martina 20%, Giachetti 12%
  4. ^ Ecco perché il Pd si deve sciogliere domani (e il futuro del centrosinistra è un nuovo Ulivo)
  5. ^ "Renzi lascia il Pd: "Uscire dal partito sarà un bene per tutti. Anche per Conte"". rep.repubblica.it.
  6. ^ Politica, Redazione (17 September 2019). "Renzi: "Il nome della nuova sfida che stiamo per lanciare sarà Italia viva"". Corriere della Sera.
  7. ^ Scissione di Renzi, Anna Ascani resta nel Pd
  8. ^ Nuovo partito di Renzi, ecco chi lo segue