New centre-right political party NCD presented in House

(ANSA) – Rome, November 18 – The new Italian political party of the centre right, formed by dissidents from ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi’s former People of Freedom (PdL) party, was formally presented Monday in the Lower House.

The New Centre Right (NCD) party announced that its interim House leader will be Enrico Costa.

Members include all the ex-PdL ministers in Italy’s coalition government, which brought together members from the centre right and the centre left. The announcement comes three days after a formal rupture between Berlusconi, who has re-formed his Forza Italia political party, and members of the PdL who have broken with Berlusconi.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, who is also deputy premier, had been closely linked to Berlusconi but became disenchanted with his former leader’s efforts to bring down the coalition government of Premier Enrico Letta. In all, the NCD says its membership includes more than 30 senators, 28 MPs, and numerous regional officials.