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The party was in part a revival of the Partito Popolare created in 1919 by the priest Don Luigi Sturzo but declared illegal by the Fascist regime in 1925 despite the presence of some members in Benito Mussolini's first government.
As Fascism's ruin approached in the latter years of World War II, the Christian Democrats started organising post-Fascist Italy in certain competition but also for a time in coalition with the parties of the center and left. Breaking decisively with its former Communist coalition partners in May 1947, the party went on to win its greatest election victory in April 1948 with the support of the Church and the United States.
From 1948 until the 1992, DC was the largest party in parliament, governing in successive coalitions with the smaller Liberal, Republican and Social Democratic parties and, after the 1963, with the Socialist Party. Basing its electoral majority largely on the Catholic countryside, the party moved over time from its reformist origins to a more conservative role. A short-lived DC government (1960) relying on parliamentary support from the Italian Social Movement, considered Fascism's ideological heir, was disowned by the party following widespread opposition. Later in the 60s, the increased political influence of the left wing factions, led by Amintore Fanfani, moved the party to a center-left strategy based on the coalition with the Socialist Party.
Party life came to be characterised according to adherence to respective correnti or factions, each identified with individual leaders. Among the leaders who built DC, notable names include those of Alcide De Gasperi, Antonio Segni, Amintore Fanfani, Giulio Andreotti, Aldo Moro and Francesco Cossiga. Many DC members were attacked in the 1970s, and in some cases murdered, by terrorists (i.e., Red BrigadesRed Brigades Brigate Rosse is a terrorist group located in Italy. Formed in 1969, the Marxist-Leninist BR seeks to create a revolutionary state through armed struggle and to separate Italy from the Western Alliance. History Reputed founder of the Red Brig). The abduction and murder of Aldo Moro in 1978Events January January 1 The Copyright Act of 1976 takes effect, making sweeping changes to United States copyright law. January 1 Air India's Boeing 747 explodes near Bombay 213 dead. January 4 Referendum in Chile supports policies of Augusto Pinochet. removed one of the party's most highly-regarded leaders.
Having ruled the nation for over 40 years, many DC members in time have been involved in smaller or greater scandals. In the 1960sCenturies: 19th century 20th century 21st century Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Years: 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around a deputee was indirectly involved in the so-called Montesi scandal (a girl killed after a drug party), and the same chief of the state Giovanni LeoneGiovanni Leone ( November 3, 1908 November 9, 2001) was Prime Minister of Italy from June 21, 1963 to November 5, 1963 and again from June 24, 1968 to November 19, 1968. He also served as Italy's President from 1971 to 1978. He was forced to resign from h was forced to resign after the scandal of Lockheed aeroplanes. The P2P2 can refer to many things position 2 in a race Intel 2nd generation processor design, or 286, i286, 80286 Intel Pentium II, a 6th generation CPU design Propaganda Due, an Italian Freemasonic lodge Period 2 of the periodic table See also P1 P3. scandal caused the premier Arnaldo ForlaniArnaldo Forlani (born December 8, 1925) was Prime Minister of Italy from October 18, 1980 through May 26, 1981. He was born in Pesaro. He was a member of the Italian Christian Democratic Party. He was first elected to the chamber of deputies in 1958 and s to resign because he had delayed the publication of the list of adherents. The minister of Public Health Carlo Donat-Cattin was supposedly helped by the minister of Internal Affairs, Francesco Cossiga, to let his son Marco escape from police while wanted as a terrorist (Prima Linea). But the party came under unprecedented attack in 1992 when a team of Milan magistrates dubbed the "clean hands" ( mani pulite) started investigating corruption at its highest levels, instigating many spectacular and sometimes controversial arrests and resignations. After two years of mounting scandal and secessions, the party disbanded in 1994.