Italy’s main green party today is Europa Verde (Green Europe, officially Europa Verde – Verdi), a centre-left to left-wing ecological party focused on environmentalism, sustainability, climate action, social justice, pacifism, and feminism. ( https://verdi.it/ )
History and Evolution
- Italy’s green movement dates back to the 1980s with early green lists and the anti-nuclear campaigns (e.g., the 1987 referendum that ended nuclear power in Italy).
- The Federation of the Greens (Federazione dei Verdi, often just called “I Verdi”) formed in 1990 by merging earlier green groups. It was a long-standing member of the European Green Party and participated in centre-left coalitions, including governments in the 1990s–2000s. It struggled with fragmentation and low standalone electoral success. en.wikipedia.org
- In 2019–2021, it evolved into Europa Verde as an electoral list and then a full party, incorporating elements from the Federation of the Greens, Green Italia (which dissolved in 2023 and partly merged into the Democratic Party), and other ecologist groups. en.wikipedia.org
- Since 2022, Europa Verde has operated primarily within the Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra (Greens and Left Alliance, AVS), a “red-green” federation with Sinistra Italiana (Italian Left). This alliance combines ecological priorities with democratic socialist policies like anti-poverty measures, workers’ rights, and opposition to austerity. en.wikipedia.org
Current Status (as of 2026)
- Leaders: Co-spokespersons include Angelo Bonelli and Fiorella Zabatta for Europa Verde; the broader AVS is co-led by Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni (from Italian Left). europeangreens.eu
- Electoral Performance:
- 2022 general election: AVS got ~3.6–4.6%, winning seats in parliament after years of green absence.
- 2024 European Parliament election: AVS achieved a breakthrough with 6.8% and 6 MEPs (some affiliated with the Greens/EFA group, others with The Left). en.wikipedia.org
- Recent regional elections (2024–2025) have shown AVS polling 4–7% in places like Sardinia, Piedmont, Tuscany, and others, with some local government roles (e.g., a regional minister post in Campania in 2025).
- Polls in early 2026 suggest AVS occasionally surpassing smaller right-wing parties like Lega in voting intention, though it remains a minor force nationally. repubblica.it
- It is part of the broader centre-left opposition against the right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy. Greens operate in a challenging environment under a conservative majority, focusing on opposition to fossil fuels, climate denial, and environmental deregulation. greeneuropeanjournal.eu
Ideology and Priorities
- Core green issues: Climate emergency, renewable energy transition, biodiversity, anti-fracking/anti-fossil fuel campaigns, and sustainable agriculture.
- Broader left-wing elements: Social justice, gender equality, pacifism (e.g., anti-war stances), and economic redistribution.
- It aligns with the European Green Party and sits in the Greens–European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament (with some independents or left-leaning MEPs splitting groups). europeangreens.eu
Comparison to Spain’s Verdes Equo
Similar to Spain’s green scene (which you asked about earlier), Italy’s greens have faced chronic fragmentation, name changes, and limited standalone success. They gain influence mainly through coalitions rather than governing alone. Unlike Spain’s integration into Sumar (supporting a progressive government), Italy’s greens are in opposition to a right-wing administration and ally with a more explicitly socialist partner in AVS.Europa Verde maintains an active online presence (e.g., europaverde.it) and continues advocacy on issues like the “climate clock,” energy policy critiques, and environmental protection. ( www.europaverde.it ) If you’d like details on specific elections, policies, key figures, or a direct comparison to Spain’s Verdes Equo, let us know!