In May 2021, Toti and Luigi Brugnaro, mayor of Venice, announced the formation of a new political party[8] mainly composed by dissidents of FI,[9] as well as Gaetano Quagliariello's Identity and Action (an associate party of C!), splinters from other parties,[10] notably including three deputies previously affiliated with the centre-left Democratic Centre (CD).[11] Brugnaro was appointed party president, while deputy Marco Marin, senator Gaetano Quagliariello and Toti vice presidents.[12][13] During the press conference in which he and Toti launched the new party, Brugnaro thanked Berlusconi, describing him as a "brave leader", but also added that the centre-right "has to move on, it is another era".[14]
In less than a year, CI, which had failed to attract substantial support countrywide, according to opinion polls, experienced an internal crisis. On one side Toti launched the project of a new political party named Italy in the Centre (IaC),[15][16] on the other side Brugnaro rejected establishment politics[17] and wanted to continue to be part of the centre-right coalition.[18] In February 2022 CI's sub-group within the Mixed Group, previously named "IDeA–Cambiamo!–Europeanists", was re-named "Italy in the Centre".[19] In March, a federation between Coraggio Italia and Italy of the Centre was announced, stating that they would have different organisations and parliamentary groupings.[20]
In late June 2022, CI and IaC formally split both in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.[21] The joint parliamentary group in the Chamber was dissolved,[22] while six other deputies, including vice president Marin, left the party, founding a new party called Vinciamo Italia,[23][24] and CI was left with seven deputies (led by Emilio Carelli)[25] and two senators (Andrea Causin and Marinella Pacifico).[26]
In July 2022, a new sub-group named after CI was formed within the Mixed Group of the Chamber of Deputies. The group was led by Fabio Berardini and included 10 deputies: 8 members of CI (not including Carelli) and two representatives of the Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (MAIE).[27][28] Contextually, in the Senate, a new sub-group composed of three senators, including two senators of CI and one of the MAIE, was formed.[28]
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