Editing Italy of Values (section)

===Background and formation (1996–2001)===
[[Antonio Di Pietro]] was [[Italian Minister of Public Works|minister of Public Works]] in the [[Prodi I Cabinet]] from May to November 1996, when he resigned because he was under investigation in [[Brescia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1996/novembre/15/Ora_basta_Pietro_lascia_governo_co_0_9611156464.shtml |title=" Ora basta " : Di Pietro lascia il governo |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref> In November 1997 Di Pietro was elected senator for [[The Olive Tree (Italy)|The Olive Tree]] in a by-election in [[Mugello]], a stronghold of the [[Democrats of the Left]] (DS) in [[Tuscany]], with 67.7% of the vote, much more than [[Centre-right coalition (Italy)|centre-right]] independent [[Giuliano Ferrara]] (16.1%) and [[Communist Refoundation Party|Communist]] [[Sandro Curzi]] (13.0%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1997/novembre/10/Pietro_supera_Ferrara_fermo_16_co_0_9711105269.shtml |title=Di Pietro supera il 67%, Ferrara fermo al 16 |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref>

In March 1998, Di Pietro established Italy of Values (IdV), alongside [[Willer Bordon]] of the [[Democratic Union (Italy)|Democratic Union]] and [[Rino Piscitello]] and [[Franco Danieli]] of [[The Network (political party)|The Network]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1998/marzo/22/Pietro_nasce_Italia_dei_Valori_co_0_98032213938.shtml |title=Di Pietro, nasce l' " Italia dei Valori " |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref> led by [[Leoluca Orlando]] (a future IdV member).

In February 1999, Di Pietro integrated IdV into [[The Democrats (Italy)|The Democrats]], a new centrist party founded by [[Romano Prodi]] with the goal of transforming The Olive Tree coalition in a single "Democratic" party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/1999/febbraio/28/Democratici_scelgono_asinello_co_0_9902282547.shtml |title=I Democratici scelgono un asinello |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref> In the [[1999 European Parliament election in Italy|1999 European Parliament election]] The Democrats scored 7.7% and Di Pietro was elected [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]. He was also appointed organisational secretary and [[Senate of the Republic (Italy)|Senate]] floor leader of the party. In April 2000, Di Pietro abruptly left in opposition to the appointment of [[Giuliano Amato]], a long-time member of the [[Italian Socialist Party]] (which was the main subject of investigation of Di Pietro as prosecutor), as [[Prime Minister of Italy]] after the resignation of [[Massimo D'Alema]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2000/aprile/28/Democratici_Pietro_sbatte_porta_co_0_0004281876.shtml |title=Democratici, Di Pietro sbatte la porta |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, Di Pietro set up IdV again.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2000/maggio/23/Pietro_lancia_movimento_per_correre_co_0_0005238269.shtml |title=Di Pietro lancia un movimento per correre alle politiche |publisher=Archiviostorico.corriere.it |date=2009-12-24 |access-date=2010-12-14}}</ref>

IdV took part to the [[2001 Italian general election|2001 general election]] as a stand-alone party on a [[populism|populist]] platform, which included tough management of [[illegal immigration]] and protest against waste of public money. IdV's campaign was focused principally against [[Silvio Berlusconi]], who was the candidate for Prime Minister of the [[House of Freedoms]] (CdL) centre-right coalition. IdV won 3.9% in the election, 0.1% short of the 4% threshold, and obtained no seats in the [[Chamber of Deputies (Italy)|Chamber of Deputies]]. The party elected one senator, [[Valerio Carrara]], but, after a few days from the election, he surprisingly switched to Berlusconi's [[Forza Italia]] (FI) party,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2001/maggio/31/Carrara_passa_con_Forza_Italia_co_0_0105316479.shtml|title=Carrara passa con Forza Italia. L' ex pm: è un piccolo uomo Primo ribaltone, senatore di Di Pietro con il Polo|date=2001-05-31|publisher=[[Corriere della Sera]]}}</ref> leaving IdV without parliamentary representation for the next five years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 May 2001 |title=Da Di Pietro al Polo Carrara, il primo ribaltonista |url=https://www.repubblica.it/online/politica/camere/camere/carrara/carrara.html?ref=search |access-date= |website=[[la Repubblica]]}}</ref>