The Olive Tree (Italy)

For information about the plant for which the political party is named, see Olive.

Olive Tree (Italian: l'Ulivo) is a political denomination strongly related to Third Way policies in Italy and commonly adopted by center-to-left alliances of parties from 1996e name was introduced by Romano Prodi, professor of economics and former left-wing Christian Democrat. It is now subsumed into the new coalition L'Unione.

The Olive Tree participated in the general election of April 9 and 10, 2006, as confederation of three parties:

• Democrats of the Left
• Daisy-Democracy is Freedom
• European Republican Movement

Olive Tree - together for Italy

File:Lulivo.gif

The Olive Tree - together for Italy (Italian: l'Ulivo - insieme per l'Italia) was a coalition of left-wing and centrist political parties in Italy. In April 21 1996, the Olive Tree won general elections in alliance with the Communist Refoundation Party, making Romano Prodi Prime Minister of Italy. In October 9 1998, the Romano Prodi (1st Time) administration fell when the Communist Refoundation Party left the alliance. In October 21 1998 the Olive Tree was the core of the Massimo D'Alema (1st Time) administration, in December 22 1999 of the Massimo D'Alema (2nd Time) administration and in April 25 2000 of the Giuliano Amato (2nd Time) administration. In May 13 2001, led by Francesco Rutelli, the coalition lost the general elections against Silvio Berlusconi and his renewed center-to-right coalition, the House of Freedoms (Italian: Casa delle Libertà).

United in the Olive Tree - for Europe

Uniti nell'Ulivo

Uniti nell'Ulivo

In June 12 2004 the Olive Tree, as United in the Olive Tree (Italian: Uniti nell'Ulivo), ran in European Parliament Elections 2004 gaining 31,1% of popular votes. The Olive Tree of 2004 was a more strict alliance of only 3 out of 8 former affiliate parties plus the small former non-aligned European Republican Movement.

United in the Olive Tree

In September 13 2004 the Olive Tree became the Federation of United in the Olive Tree (Italian: Uniti nell'Ulivo) or, more shortly, the FED, consisting of same four parties that campaigned together in the European elections that summer.

A street stall for the all United in the Olive Tree coalition, during campaigning for the European Parliament elections 2004, seen in Como, Italy. Note that the poster shows Romano Prodi and roundels (party electoral/ballot logos) for each of the constituent parties in the coalition.

The Olive Tree Federation is led by Romano Prodi and aims to be the core of a greater center-left coalition, called The Union (Italian: L'Unione. Current member parties of the federation are:

• Democrats of the Left (Italian: Democratici di Sinistra)
• Daisy-Democracy is Freedom (Italian: Margherita - Democrazia è Libertà)
• European Republican Movement (Italian: Movimento Repubblicani Europei)

On February 10 2005, the new name and logo of the larger electoral coalition was presented. Its name is L'Unione (The Union). It comprises the Federation of the Olive Tree (4 parties) and all the left and centre parties allied with it (from Greens to Communists).

See also

• List of political parties in Italy

External links

• Template:It icon l'Ulivo
• Template:It icon Uniti nell'Ulivo
• "Italy's Olive Tree" (1996) The Nation

Olive Tree is also a religious symble to the Jewish and the Christian community. In the Garden of Gethsemane, there was a lot of olive trees growing in that area. The olive tree also helped the area of Israel because it helps create olives oil.