II. Political Parties
•House of Liberties (right alliance)
•Olive Tree (left alliance)
•Some of the constituent parties are themselves alliances of even smaller parties
Political Parties
   May 2001 election, Chamber of Deputies

House of Liberties (right alliance)
   Won 337 seats and elected their prime minister Silvio Berlusconi
   Consists of 4 major parties, Forza Italia (176 seats, Berlusconi’s party) National Alliance (97) UDC (36) Northern League (28)
   National Alliance is a “Post Fascist” party

Olive Tree (left alliance)
   Won 214 seats
   Consists of two major parties, Democrats of the Left (135), Daisy Alliance (79)
   2004 EU elections in Italy, Olive Tree won 37 seats to 36 for House of Liberties indicating a shift