Editing Christian Democracy (Italy) (section)

===Dissolution and aftermath===
In 1992 the ''[[Mani pulite]]'' investigation was started in [[Milan]], uncovering the so-called ''Tangentopoli'' scandals (endemic corruption practices at the highest levels), and causing numerous, often controversial, arrests and resignations. After the dismal result in the [[1992 Italian general election|1992 general election]] (29.7%), also due to the rise of {{lang|it|[[Lega Nord]]|italic=no}} in [[northern Italy]] and two years of mounting scandals (which included several Mafia investigations which notably touched Andreotti), the party was disbanded in 1994. In the 1990s most of the politicians prosecuted during those investigations were acquitted, sometimes however on the basis of legal formalities or on the basis of [[statute of limitations|statutory time limit]] rules.

In 1992, [[Mario Segni]] led a breakaway faction called [[Populars for Reform]] (PR). The DC suffered heavy defeats in the 1993 provincial and municipal elections. Subsequently, Segni's PR would be reformed as the [[Segni Pact]], and contemporary polling suggested heavy losses for the DC in the upcoming [[1994 Italian general election|1994 general election]]. In hopes of changing the party's image, the DC's last secretary, [[Mino Martinazzoli]] decided to change the name of the party into the [[Italian People's Party (1994)|Italian People's Party]] (PPI).  

[[Pier Ferdinando Casini]], representing the right-wing faction of the party (previously led by Forlani) decided to launch a new party called [[Christian Democratic Centre]] and form an alliance with [[Silvio Berlusconi]]'s new party, [[Forza Italia]] (FI). The left-wing factions stayed within the new PPI, though a minority would form the [[Social Christians]] in 1993 and would join forces with the post-communist [[Democratic Party of the Left]] (DPS). Some right-wingers, feeling Casini was still too moderate, joined the [[National Alliance (Italy)|National Alliance]]. 

In 1995, the centre-right [[United Christian Democrats]], which were led by [[Rocco Buttiglione]], split off from the PPI and also entered in alliance with FI. In the following years, most Christian Democrats joined FI, which became the party with the most ex-DC members in absolute terms. In December 1999, Forza Italia gained full membership in the [[European People's Party]].

The PPI would continue in a rump fashion, usually finding itself in left of centre political coalitions. In [[1996 Italian general election|1996]], under [[Franco Marini]], the PPI would ally with the DPS and several smaller centre-left parties to form [[The Olive Tree (Italy)|The Olive Tree]]. The alliance, whose primary components were two legal successors to the two major political forces of pre-1990s Italy, won the election. [[Romano Prodi]], an independent former PPI member, led the list and became prime minister.

Faced with flagging poll numbers, the PPI formed [[Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy]] (DL) after allying three other smaller, social liberal parties to contest the [[2001 Italian general election|2001 election]]. DL would be formed as an official political party in 2002, succeeding the PPI and its three allies. In 2007, DL would merge with the [[Democrats of the Left]], the successor of the DPS, to form the [[Democratic Party (Italy)|Democratic Party]], which is today{{Efn|As of the [[2022 Italian general election]].}} the largest centre-left political party in Italy.