Action (Italy)

In the aftermath of the 2018 general election Calenda, who had been a candidate for Civic Choice in 2013 and had served in various capacities the three governments of the 2013–2018 term, chose to join the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).[15]

In January 2019 Calenda launched a political manifesto named "We Are Europeans", with the aim of creating a joint list composed of the PD and other progressive and pro-Europeanist parties for the upcoming European Parliament election.[16] His proposal was welcomed by new PD's leader, Nicola Zingaretti, but rejected by the other parties within the centre-left coalition, like More Europe and Italia in Comune, which decided not to join the alliance.[17]

Carlo Calenda in 2019

In the run-up to the European election, Zingaretti and Calenda presented a special logo including a large reference to "We Are Europeans" and the symbol of the Party of European Socialists.[18] Additionally, they forged an alliance with Article One, a party established in 2017 by splinters from the PD led by Pier Luigi Bersani.[19]

In the election, the PD gained 22.7% of the vote, coming second after the League.[20] Calenda, who ran in the North-East constituency, was elected by receiving more than 270,000 votes, thus becoming the most voted candidate of the list.[21]

In August 2019 tensions grew within the coalition supporting the Giuseppe Conte's first government, leading to the issuing of a motion of no-confidence by the League.[22] During the following government crisis, the national board of the PD officially opened to the possibility of forming a new cabinet in a coalition with the M5S,[23] based on pro-Europeanism, green economy, sustainable development, fight against economic inequality and a new immigration policy.[24] The party also accepted that Conte might continue at the head of a new government,[25] and on 29 August President Mattarella formally invested Conte to do so.[26] Calenda strongly opposed the new government, stating the PD had renounced any representation of "reformists",[27] so it became necessary to found a "liberal-progressive" movement.[28] Calenda left the PD and on 5 September 2019, while Conte's second government was sworn in, and officially announced the transformation of SE into a full-fledged party.[29]

On 10 September Matteo Richetti, a prominent senator of the PD and formerly a close associate of Matteo Renzi, announced his abstention from the vote of confidence on the new government and his subsequent exit from the party.[30] He stated that he would join forces with Calenda.[31]

In November 2019 the new party was officially launched as "Action".[32] After a few months, Calenda launched the "Action Groups", the party's local sections.[33]

In August 2020 two deputies joined Action: former minister Enrico Costa, who left Forza Italia,[34] and Nunzio Angiola, a former member of the Five Star Movement (M5S).[35]

In November 2020, deputies and senators affiliated with Action formed joint sub-groups in the Mixed Groups together with More Europe (+Eu) both in the Chamber and in the Senate. The sub-group in the Chamber counted four deputies, the one in the Senate three senators.[36][37]

In March 2021 Carlo Cottarelli, a former director of the International Monetary Fund, was chosen by Az, +Eu, the Italian Republican Party (PRI), the Liberal Democratic Alliance for Italy (ALI) and The Liberals to head of a scientific committee designed to elaborate of a joint political program.[38][39][40]

In November 2021, Calenda left the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament to join Renew Europe, primarily in opposition to the proposed adhesion of the populist M5S to the S&D group.[41]

• Leader: Carlo Calenda (2019–present)

• 
  Action logo
• 
  Action logo until 26 oct 2021
• 
  Old Action logo in inverted colors
• 
  We Are Europeans logo

• Official website