ITALY: parliamentary elections Senato della Repubblica, 1994

ITALY
Parliamentary Chamber: Senato della Repubblica

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1994

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for ITALY <<<

Chamber:

Senato della Repubblica

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

27 March 1994
28 March 1994

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the elective seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body on 16 January 1994. Previous general elections had taken place in April 1992.

Background and outcome of elections:

On 13 January 1994, Prime Minister (since April 1993) Carlo Azeglio Ciampi tendered his resignation, stating that his Government had achieved its two primary objectives of electoral reform and budget austerity. Three days later, President of the Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro dissolved Parliament and asked Mr. Ciampi to continue as head of a caretaker administration; the March election date was then set.
Three opposing alliances together comprising 15 parties contested the 945 seats at stake. The right-wing Freedom Alliance consisted chiefly of the Forza Italia, the Northern League (LN) and the National Alliance (AN); the centrist Pact for Italy was made up of the Italian Popular Party (PPI) and the Segni Pact; and the left-wing Progressive Alliance mainly included the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), the Communist Refoundation, the Greens and the Socialist Party (PSI): These alliances were largely necessitated by the terms of the new Electoral Law (see above). Against a background of massive political bribery scandals, which had especially plagued the formerly ruling Christian Democratic (now PPI) and Socialist parties, most of the some 5,000 candidates in the running called for clean and efficient government. But allegations of dishonesty and involvement with the Mafia inevitably embittered the campaign. Among the foremost party leaders, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, a businessman-turned-politician heading the Forza Italia, promised to produce a “new Italian miracle” in the economy to counter unemployment, wasteful spending, high taxes and corruption; Forza Italia also adopted an original electoral strategy by seeking regionally diversified political alliances to win seats in single-member constituencies. PDS, successor of the Communist Party and led by Mr. Achille Occhetto, pledged to continue the austerity and privatisation policies of Mr. Ciampi.
Polling results marked a clear repudiation of the centrist parties that had dominated Italian politics since World War II as Forza Italia especially exploited public discontent with them. Of the three opposing blocs, the Freedom Alliance, led by LN, came out ahead in both Houses. Securing an absolute majority of Deputies’ seats. Despite this success, the conservatives found it difficult to put together a new government due to their infighting and divergent view; considerable friction existed in particular between the federalist LN, led by Mr. Umberto Bossi, and the neo-fascist AN, headed by Mr. Gianfranco Fini. On 28 April, President Scalfaro formally asked Mr. Berlusconi to form a new government, which he did on 11 May.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (27 and 28 March 1994): Elections results

Number of registered electors 41,966,858

Voters 35,905,735 (85.5%)

Blank or invalid ballot papers 2,831,186

Valid votes 33,074,549

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total Proportional Majority

Freedom Alliance 156 28 128

Progressive Alliance 122 26 96

Pact for Italy 31 28 3

Others 6 1 5

Comments:

This figures refer only to the elected Senators
The Freedom Alliance comprises:
Northern League (LN) : 58 seats
National Alliance (AN): 43 seats
Forza Italia: 41 seats
Christian Democratic Centre (CCD): 12 seats
Pannella List:2 seats
Union of the Democratic Centre (UDC)
The Progressive Alliance comprises:
Democratic Party of the Left (PDS): 66 seats
Communist Refoundation (PRC): 19 seats
Greens: 7 seats
Socialist Party (PSI): 12 seats
Democratic Alliance (AD): 7 seats
La Rete: 6 seats
Christian Socialist Party: 5 seats
The Pact for Italy comprises:
Italian Popular Party (PPI): 27 seats
Segni Party: 4 seats

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 297

Women: 29

Distribution of seats according to age:

40-49 years 39%

50-59 years 37%

60 years and over 24%

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for ITALY <<<

Chamber:
	Senato della Repubblica
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	27 March 1994 28 March 1994
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the elective seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body on 16 January 1994. Previous general elections had taken place in April 1992.
Background and outcome of elections:
	On 13 January 1994, Prime Minister (since April 1993) Carlo Azeglio Ciampi tendered his resignation, stating that his Government had achieved its two primary objectives of electoral reform and budget austerity. Three days later, President of the Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro dissolved Parliament and asked Mr. Ciampi to continue as head of a caretaker administration; the March election date was then set. Three opposing alliances together comprising 15 parties contested the 945 seats at stake. The right-wing Freedom Alliance consisted chiefly of the Forza Italia, the Northern League (LN) and the National Alliance (AN); the centrist Pact for Italy was made up of the Italian Popular Party (PPI) and the Segni Pact; and the left-wing Progressive Alliance mainly included the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS), the Communist Refoundation, the Greens and the Socialist Party (PSI): These alliances were largely necessitated by the terms of the new Electoral Law (see above). Against a background of massive political bribery scandals, which had especially plagued the formerly ruling Christian Democratic (now PPI) and Socialist parties, most of the some 5,000 candidates in the running called for clean and efficient government. But allegations of dishonesty and involvement with the Mafia inevitably embittered the campaign. Among the foremost party leaders, Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, a businessman-turned-politician heading the Forza Italia, promised to produce a “new Italian miracle” in the economy to counter unemployment, wasteful spending, high taxes and corruption; Forza Italia also adopted an original electoral strategy by seeking regionally diversified political alliances to win seats in single-member constituencies. PDS, successor of the Communist Party and led by Mr. Achille Occhetto, pledged to continue the austerity and privatisation policies of Mr. Ciampi. Polling results marked a clear repudiation of the centrist parties that had dominated Italian politics since World War II as Forza Italia especially exploited public discontent with them. Of the three opposing blocs, the Freedom Alliance, led by LN, came out ahead in both Houses. Securing an absolute majority of Deputies’ seats. Despite this success, the conservatives found it difficult to put together a new government due to their infighting and divergent view; considerable friction existed in particular between the federalist LN, led by Mr. Umberto Bossi, and the neo-fascist AN, headed by Mr. Gianfranco Fini. On 28 April, President Scalfaro formally asked Mr. Berlusconi to form a new government, which he did on 11 May.

Round no 1 (27 and 28 March 1994): Elections results
Number of registered electors	41,966,858
Voters	35,905,735 (85.5%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	2,831,186
Valid votes	33,074,549

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Proportional	Majority
Freedom Alliance	156	28	128
Progressive Alliance	122	26	96
Pact for Italy	31	28	3
Others	6	1	5

Distribution of seats according to age:
40-49 years	39%
50-59 years	37%
60 years and over	24%