The 1996 Italian general election was held on 21 April 1996 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. Romano Prodi, leader of the centre-left The Olive Tree, won the election, narrowly defeating Silvio Berlusconi, who led the centre-right Pole for Freedoms.

For the election, the Northern League of Umberto Bossi ran alone after having left the Berlusconi I Cabinet in 1994, causing a crisis which drove President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro to appoint a technocratic cabinet led by Lamberto Dini, which in turn lost its parliamentary support in 1995, forcing Scalfaro to dissolve the Italian Parliament. The Communist Refoundation Party, led by Fausto Bertinotti, made a pre-electoral alliance with The Olive Tree, presenting its own candidates, supported by Prodi's coalition, mainly in some safe leftist constituencies, in exchange for supporting Olive Tree candidates on the other ones, and ensuring external support for a Prodi government.

Electoral system The election was regulated by the Mattarella law of 1993, also known as "Mattarellum".

The intricate electoral system, called scorporo, provided 75% of the seats on the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House) as elected by first-past-the-post system, whereas the remaining 25% was assigned on proportional representation with a minimum threshold of 4%.

The method used for the Senate was even more complicated: 75% of seats by uninominal method, and 25% by a special proportional method that assigned the remaining seats to minority parties. Formally, these were examples of mixed-member majoritarian systems with partial compensation.

General election

Background In December 1994, following the communication of a new investigation from Milan magistrates that was leaked to the press, Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, left the coalition claiming that the electoral pact had not been respected, forcing Berlusconi to resign from office and shifting the majority's weight to the centre-left side. The Northern League also resented the fact that many of its MPs had switched to Forza Italia, allegedly lured by promises of more prestigious portfolios.

Berlusconi remained as caretaker prime minister for a little over a month until his replacement by a technocratic government headed by Lamberto Dini. Dini had been a key minister in the Berlusconi cabinet, and Berlusconi said the only way he would support a technocratic government would be if Dini headed it. In the end, Dini was only supported by most opposition parties and not by Forza Italia and Northern League.

In December 1995, Dini resigned as Prime Minister and President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro decided to begin consultations to form a government, supported by all the parties in the Italian Parliament to make constitutional reforms. In a TV debate on 19 January 1996, both Silvio Berlusconi and Democratic Party of the Left leader Massimo D'Alema supported constitutional reforms; however, there were many problems on this theme in both coalition, as Gianfranco Fini and Romano Prodi wanted a snap election, not sure that the reforms would be helpful for the country. On 16 February 1996, a snap election was called.

Campaign On 19 February 1996, the outgoing Prime Minister Lamberto Dini announced that he would run in the election with a new party allied with The Olive Tree rather than Berlusconi's Pole of Freedoms. Shortly after, Berlusconi claimed that Dini "copied our electoral programme".

Another important declaration was that of Umberto Bossi, the leader of the regionalist Northern League, which was very important in 1994 to help Berlusconi winning the election. Bossi said that his party would not support Berlusconi anymore and run alone in the election. At the same time, Prodi's coalition made a pre-electoral agreement with Communist Refoundation Party in which Fausto Bertinotti's party undertook to support Prodi's government after the election in case of no parliamentary majority.

On 25 March 1996, Berlusconi organised a manifestation in Milan against taxes (The Tax Day) attended by many Milanese artisans; on the same day in Turin, Prodi was heavily contested during his electoral speech and accused of not wanting to lower taxes.

Main coalitions and parties CoalitionParty Main ideology Party leader Coalition leaderThe Olive Tree Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) Democratic socialism Massimo D'AlemaRomano Prodi Populars for Prodi Christian democracy Gerardo Bianco Italian Renewal (RI) Liberalism Lamberto Dini Federation of the Greens (FdV) Green politics Carlo Ripa di MeanaPole for Freedoms Forza Italia (FI) Liberal conservatism Silvio BerlusconiSilvio Berlusconi National Alliance (AN) National conservatism Gianfranco Fini Christian Democratic Centre (CCD) Christian democracy Pier Ferdinando Casini United Christian Democrats (CDU) Christian democracy Rocco ButtiglioneNorthern League (LN) RegionalismUmberto BossiCommunist Refoundation Party (PRC) CommunismFausto BertinottiPannella–Sgarbi List (LPS) LibertarianismMarco PannellaTricolour Flame (FT) Neo-fascismPino Rauti

Results

Chamber of Deputies Overall results + CoalitionPartyProportionalFirst-past-the-postTotalseats +/–Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsThe Olive TreeDemocratic Party of the Left (PDS)7,894,11821.062615,747,45542.01146172+482,554,0726.8146569+18Italian Renewal (RI)1,627,3804.3481826NewFederation of the Greens (FdV)938,6652.5001414+3The Network (LR)033−5Ladin Autonomist Union (UAL)011+1Total seats38 247285–Pole for FreedomsForza Italia (FI)7,712,14920.573715,027,03040.0886123−9National Alliance (AN)5,870,49115.66286593−17CCD – CDU 2,189,5635.84122830+3Total seats77 169246–Northern League (LN)3,776,35410.07204,038,23910.773959−59Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)3,213,7488.5720982,5052.621535−3South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP)0156,7080.4233±0Southern Action League (LAM)72,0620.19082,3730.2211±0Aosta Valley (VdA)037,4310.1011±0Others1,635,7964.3901,223,3683.7800±0Total37,484,398100.0015537,295,109100.00475630

Proportional and FPTP results +First-past-the-postParties and coalitionsVote%Seats Pole for Freedoms (PpL) 15,027,030 40.09 169 The Olive Tree (Ulivo) 14,447,548 38.54 228 Northern League (LN) 4,038,239 10.77 39 The Olive Tree – Venetian Autonomy League (Ulivo–LAV) 997,534 2.66 14 Progressives 982,505 2.62 15 Tricolour Flame (FT) 624,558 1.67 0 The Olive Tree – Sardinian Action Party (Ulivo–PSd'Az) 269,047 0.72 4 South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP) 156,708 0.42 3 Southern Action League (LAM) 82,373 0.22 1 Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS) 69,406 0.19 0Clean Hands (MP) 68,443 0.18 0 Socialist Party (PS) 44,786 0.12 0 Sardigna Natzione (SN) 42,246 0.11 0 Aosta Valley (VdA) 37,431 0.10 1 Democracy and Freedom (DL) 33,326 0.09 1Renovation 28,988 0.08 0Humanist Party (PU) 27,694 0.07 0Italian Renaissance Movement (MRI) 24,074 0.06 0Union for South Tyrol (UfS) 23,032 0.06 0We Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS) 20,102 0.05 0Pact for the Agro 18,836 0.05 0Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) 17,996 0.05 0Greens Greens 12,905 0.03 0Environmentalists 12,299 0.03 0Liberal Federalists (FL) 11,563 0.03 0Aosta Valley for the Olive Tree 11,526 0.03 0Social Democracy (DS) 9,760 0.03 0North-East Union (UNE) 9,669 0.03 0Independent Group Freedom (GIL) 8,805 0.02 0Natural Law Party (PLN) 7,708 0.02 0Moderates 6,208 0.02 0New Energies 5,627 0.02 0New Democracy (ND) 5,333 0.01 0Development and Legality 5,275 0.01 0For Marche 4,317 0.01 0Resurgence of the South 4,291 0.01 0Free North Autonomy 4,013 0.01 0New Ways 3,904 0.01 0State of Friuli 3,345 0.01 0Liberist Solidary Alliance 3,219 0.01 0Ingenuity and Audacity 2,805 0.01 0Venetian Solidarity 2,655 0.01 0South Pole Movement 2,310 0.01 0Federalist Italian League (LIF) 2,268 0.01 0Trieste Women's Pact 2,121 0.01 0Others 71,281 0.19 0Total 37,295,109 100.00 475Source: Ministry of the Interior +ProportionalPartyVotes%Seats Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) 7,894,118 21.06 26 Forza Italia (FI) 7,712,149 20.57 37 National Alliance (AN) 5,870,491 15.66 28 Northern League (LN)3,776,35410.0720 Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) 3,213,748 8.57 20 Populars for Prodi (PPI–UD–PRI–SVP) 2,554,072 6.81 4 Christian Democratic Centre – United Christian Democrats (CCD–CDU) 2,189,563 5.84 12 Italian Renewal (RI) 1,627,380 4.34 8 Federation of the Greens (FdV) 938,665 2.50 0 Pannella-Sgarbi List (LPS) 702,988 1.88 0 Tricolour Flame (FT) 339,351 0.91 0 Socialist Party (PS) 149,441 0.40 0 Southern Action League (LAM) 72,062 0.19 0 North-East Union (UNE) 63,934 0.17 0 Union for South Tyrol (UfS) 55,548 0.15 0 Clean Hands (MP) 44,935 0.12 0 We Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS) 41,001 0.11 0 Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az) 38,002 0.10 0 Greens Greens 25,788 0.07 0 Sardigna Natzione (SN) 23,355 0.06 0 Independent Group Freedom 17,451 0.05 0 Environmentalists 15,560 0.04 0 Humanist Party (PU) 14,601 0.04 0 Renovation 13,677 0.04 0 Pact for the Agro 12,297 0.03 0 Social Democracy 9,319 0.02 0 Italian Renaissance Movement (MRI) 8,886 0.02 0 Tuscan Autonomist Movement (MAT) 8,627 0.02 0 Natural Law Party (PLN) 8,298 0.02 0 New Democracy 8,185 0.02 0 Liberal Federalists (FL) 6,475 0.02 0 For Marche 5,545 0.01 0 New Energies 5,393 0.01 0 Development and Legality 5,347 0.01 0 Free North Autonomy 4,965 0.01 0 Federalist Party (PF) 3,743 0.01 0 Resurgence of the South 3,084 0.01 0Total 100.00 37,484,398 155Invalid/blank/unassigned votes–2,917,376–Total–40,401,774–Registered voters/turnout82.88%48,744,846–Source: Ministry of the Interior

Senate of the Republic + CoalitionPartyFirst-past-the-postProportionalSeatsTotalseats +/–Votes%SeatsThe Olive TreeDemocratic Party of the Left (PDS)13,444,97841.2113423102+26Italian People's Party (PPI)27−4Federation of the Greens (FdV)14+7Italian Renewal (RI)11 NewThe Network (LR)1−5Venetian Autonomy League (LAV)1+1Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az)1+1Total seats157–Pole for FreedomsForza Italia (FI)12,185,02037.35674948+13National Alliance (AN)43−4 Christian Democratic Centre (CCD)15+3 United Christian Democrats (CDU)10NewTotal seats116–Northern League (LN)3,394,73310.4118927−33Progressives934,9742.8710010−8Tricolour Flame (FT)747,4872.29011NewPannella-Sgarbi List (LPS)509,8261.56011±0Socialist Party (PS)286,4260.88000NewThe Fir – South Tyrolean People's Party – PATT178,4250.55202−1Clean Hands109,1130.33000NewLeague for Autonomy – Lombard Alliance106,3130.33000NewNorth-East Union (UNE)72,5410.22000NewWe Sicilians – Sicilian National Front (NS–FNS)71,8410.22000NewSouthern Action League (LAM)66,7500.20000±0Greens Greens61,4340.19000±0Pensioners' Party (PP)60,6400.19000±0Social Democracy60,0160.18000NewFederation of Italian Civic Lists55,7930.17000NewSardigna Natzione (SN)44,7130.14000NewAosta Valley (VdA)27,4930.08101±0Piedmont Nation of Europe26,9510.08000±0Environmentalists26,7560.08000NewIndependent Group Freedom (GIL)23,3010.07000NewUnion for South Tyrol (UfS)19,3300.06000NewTuscan Autonomist Movement (MAT)18,6910.06000±0Pact for the Agro17,9800.06000NewRenovation16,2160.05000NewRight of the People6,7100.02000NewNatural Law Party (PLN)10,3710.03000NewDemocrats for Progress5,6880.02000NewCommunist Refoundation Party (PRC)5,6810.02000Popular Movement of Moralization (MPM)5,2970.02000NewAzure Alps5,1440.02000NewDemocratic Alternative for the Roman Castles4,5240.01000NewProgressive People's Party (PPP)4,4500.01000±0For a Normal Country3,9760.01000NewEuropean Dolomite Region2,8980.01000NewFree North Autonomy2,4110.01000NewHit the Center2,1780.01000NewTotal32,624,584100.0023283315Source: Ministry of the Interior

Leaders' races 1996 Italian general election (C): Bologna – MazziniCandidateCoalitionPartyVotes%Romano ProdiThe Olive TreeInd55,83060.82Filippo BerselliPoleAN35,97239.18Total91,802100.0Turnout 95,94892.26The Olive Tree holdSource: Ministry of the Interior