Sicilian nationalism

Location of Sicily
Graffito in Palermo, Sicily with the text "Self Determination, Autonomy, Independence"

Sicilian nationalism consists of various movements in the autonomous Italian region of Sicily, as well as the Sicilian diaspora, which seek greater autonomy or outright independence [1] for the region from Italy, and promoting the defense of Sicilian heritage, traditions, culture and the Sicilian language.[2][3]

Various separatist and autonomist movements in Sicily have received support from the political left, right, and centre.[4] Historically, the most notable party with a Sicilian nationalist platform was the separatist Sicilian Independence Movement, who had four seats in the Italian Senate and nine seats in the Italian Chamber of Deputies at their peak in the mid-1940s.[5] In contemporary Sicily, the largest sicilianist[6] party has been the autonomist Party of the Sicilians, part of the greater Movement for the Autonomies, which governed Sicily under the presidency of Raffaele Lombardo from 2008-2012.[7] The left-wing sicilianism, formerly active also through some Sicilian socialists, Antonio Varvaro's MISDR (Republican Democratic Sicilian Independence Movement) and the Communist Party of Sicily, is now represented only by the Sicilian Socialist Party and the Sicilian National Front.[8]

Political support

After Lombardo's autonomist government ruled from 2008-2012, in the 2012 regional election, the largest predominantly sicilianist[9][10] coalition, led by the center-right Gianfranco Micciché[11] gathered only 19.98% of the votes, and are no longer the governing coalition. They are now serving in the opposition in the Sicilian Parliament.[12]

2006 party support

Party Votes Percentage Seats
Movement for Autonomy - New Sicily 308,219 12.52% 10
Sicilian Alliance 59,380 2.41% 0
Christian Democrats for Autonomy 6,530 0.26% 0
TOTAL:[13] 374,129 15.19% 10

2008 party support

Party Votes Percentage Seats
Movement for Autonomy - Allies for the South 375,587 13.94% 15
Sicily Strong and Free 119,892 4.45% 0
Autonomist Democrats 101,449 3.76% 0
TOTAL:[14] 596,928 22.15% 15

2012 party support

Party Votes Percentage Seats
Party of the Sicilians - Movement for the Autonomies 182,737 9.53% 7
Force of the South - Great South 115,444 6.02% 3
People of the Pitchfork - Sicilian National Front 23,965 1.25% 0
Sicilian Revolution 22,422 1.17% 0
TOTAL:[15] 344,568 17.97% 10

See also

References

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