Italy represented a peculiar case study for scholars engaged in researches on political parties. Since the WWII the “mass party” model dominated the Italian political scenario, influencing above all the «external» (Panebianco 1988) left-wing parties, which gave to newly enfranchised citizens the opportunities to participate in the political arena. In a sort of «contagious from the left» also conservative parties (Christian democrats) followed the same organizational model to face political and electoral challenges. High rate of membership and activists was generally considered as the best way to satisfy electoral needs (canvassing, propaganda, voting), to optimize organizational resources (membership fees, volunteering), and to increase legitimating power. During the so-called first Republic (1948-92) grassroots activism was perceived as relevant both in and out of the party. Nevertheless, after the 1989 radical changes affected parties and the intensity of members-parties link. Despite this process of withdrawal from participation, the total amount of party activists, also thanks to a relatively diffused network of parties’ branches, has remained relevant in at least two cases (Democratic Party and Lega Nord), while the M5s and the small leftist parties emphasize «on the ground» participation. The paper aims at analyzing the evolution of party activism and meaning in contemporary Italian politics. We first investigate the changing context of militancy: the socio-political traits of participants, motivations, personal investments, expectations that regulate experience of affiliation and activation. Then we focus on the connections between individual actors and organizations more and more characterised by direct forms of contacting for electoral campaign. Findings from activists’ interviews show the role of social networks in defining political careers, individual opportunities and regulation normally attributed to the central party. Data, both qualitative and quantitative, are based on national election surveys (ITANES 1990-2013), and ad hoc questionnaire and ethnographic studies on activism in local contexts.
