Cantiere Popolare

The CP was launched in January 2012 as an evolution of The Populars of Italy Tomorrow (PID),^[1][2] a Sicilian-based Christian-democratic emerged in 2010 as a split from the Union of the Centre (UdC). Other subjects (Popular Action, the Christian Movement of Workers and the Extended Christian Pact) took part to the project.^[3] Francesco Saverio Romano, leader of the PID, went on to lead also the CP.

In the 2012 Sicilian regional election, the CP won 5.9% of the vote and obtained four regional deputies.^[4]

CP took part in the February 2013 general election, siding with the centre-right coalition, and got 0.1% of the votes.^[5] Nevertheless, thanks to an agreement with The People of Freedom (PDL) party, Francesco Saverio Romano managed to run in PDL's list and be elected as MP.^[6] In October 2013, CP became an associate party of the newly-constituted Forza Italia (FI).^[7][8] In 2015, Romano left FI and joined with the Liberal Popular Alliance (ALA) parliamentary group, in support of the Renzi Cabinet.^[9][10]

In the run-up to the 2017 Sicilian regional election, the CP returned into the centre-right's fold and teamed up with the Movement for the Autonomies (MpA) under the electoral list "Populars and Autonomists".^[11][12][13] The list won 7.1% of the votes, obtained five regional deputies and entered the regional government led by Nello Musumeci, the newly elected president.^[14][15]

In December 2017, Romano broke with ALA^[16][17] and CP became one of the founding members of Us with Italy (NcI), a pro-Silvio Berlusconi centrist electoral list within the centre-right coalition for the 2018 general election.^[18][19][20]

• President: Francesco Saverio Romano (2012–present)
• Coordinator: Massimo Dell'Utri (2021–present)