In Italy the bipolar system (in a bipolar system there are only two coalitions of different parties) has created two important coalitions: centre-left and centre-right. Actually ours is a partial bipolarism as there are independent parties of extreme left, extreme right and centre.
The two important coalitions are "Ulivo" and "Casa della libertà".
Inside "Ulivo" there are different parties: Democratici di Sinistra, Partito comunista Italiano, Verdi and Margherita. Margherita is a new federation formed by centre parties such as Udeur, Rinnovamento Italiano, democratici, Partito Popolare and other. Opposite centre-left there's "La casa dele libertà" formed by Forza italia, Alleanza Nazionale, Lega, Biancofiore and recently Nuovi Socialisti. Biancofiore is a centre coalition formed by Centro Cristiano Democratico and Cristiani Democratici Uniti.
The two coalition have different programs. Certainly every matter is treated in different ways but a central point is foreign policy. Ulivo's and Polo's programs seem to point out the knowledge of this fact and they give a big importance foreign policy.
The first difference that can be noticed is that while the centre right wants a reinforcement of Italian international role, Ulivo points on strengthening international organisms and in particular European Union. From this point of view in "Polo" there's the incidence of a nationalist component while in "Ulivo" prevails the internationalist root. It depends on the parties histories.
"La Casa delle libertà" starts its program on foreign policy saying that "the future of Italy's still in Nato and European Union (EU).
At any rate they think that Italian foreign policy has to be changed.
For what regards Nato the centre-right coalition thinks the enlargement towards East important but they want a quantitative and qualitative revision of Italian contribution.
Both "Ulivo" and "Casa delle libertà" ask for the reform of the security Council of UN (United Nations). Ulivo wants an enlargement towards East but they want also the co-operation whit Russia. They point on the need to help poor countries in order to avoid the problem of immigration.
The central theme in foreign policy is the European integration. Both the new coalition wants the revision of the Treaty of Maastricht.
"Casa delle Libertà" wants to strengthen the political outline of EU and in detail they want to give more powers to the European Commission, seen as the embryo of the possible European government. "Ulivo" wants at the Intergovernmental conference the question of the legislative role of European Parliament to be treated.
For what regards the Economic and Monetary Union both the coalitions think that this is an important aim even if the Centre Right adds that it must be followed by re-launching the employment and free initiative. They also agree on the enlargement of European Union .The difference is that while centre-left asks for an enlargement towards both Centre-Eastern countries and Southern countries, Centre-Right indicates as a priority the entrance of Turkey, Malta and Cyprus.
As we can notice examining the programs in foreign policy there are some differences in the programs of the two coalitions.
The main differences are in economy. In fact Ulivo wants to improve the economy, increase the employment giving a real importance to Trade Unions, reduce taxes every year of a realistic percentage of about 0,5%."La Casa delle Libertà" instead has a program based on economic liberism, cuttings to taxes of very high percentages, replacement of public firms in many sectors with private firms increase of employment pointing on mobility.
The leader of Ulivo is Francesco Rutelli while the leader of "Casa delle Libertà" is Silvio Berlusconi.
In addition to these parties first of all there's "Rifondazione Comunista" of Fausto Bertinotti. This is a communist and Marxist party that at the next election will run alone. At any rate they will make a non-belligerency agreement with "Ulivo" at the Chamber of Deputies.
Another party that will be independent is "Partito Radicale" of Emma Bonino and Marco Pannella. They are in favour of the recognition of all civil freedoms. They want the liberation of drugs, euthanasia and so on. Their model is Holland.
There's also a party of extreme-right that is Forza Nuova which has been criticised a lot after a member burnt the head office of "Il Mnifesto", the newspaper of Rifondazione Comunista.
In the last weeks other two parties have been formed. The first one is "L'Italia dei valori" of Antonio Di Pietro who left "I Democratici".
Now there's also a new party "Democrazioa Europea" of Sergio D'antoni: the party will go to the elections with the aim of changing the electoral law. Inside the party there are very famous people like Giulio Andreotti and Zecchino. They want to gain Christians votes and to convince to their cause all the electors who want to vote either centre-left or centre-right.