South Tyrolean Freedom

Political party in Italy

South Tyrolean Freedom

Süd-Tiroler Freiheit

Leader| Sven Knoll
Spokesperson / Legal Representative| Werner Thaler
Founder| Eva Klotz
Founded| May 2007
Split from| Union for South Tyrol
Headquarters| St. Josef am See, 74
39052 Kaltern an der Weinstraße (Italy)
Youth wing| Young South Tyrolean Freedom
Membership (2021)| 4,535[1]
Ideology| Regionalism
German-speaking minority interests
National conservatism
Separatism
Right-wing populism
Political position| Right-wing
European affiliation| European Free Alliance (until 2024)
Chamber of Deputies|

0 / 400

Senate|

0 / 200

European Parliament|

0 / 76

Provincial Council|

4 / 35

Party flag
Website
www.suedtiroler-freiheit.com

* Politics of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol
* Political parties
* Elections

South Tyrolean Freedom (German: Süd-Tiroler Freiheit, STF) is a regionalist,[2] separatist[citation needed] and national-conservative[citation needed] political party in South Tyrol, Italy. The party, which is part of the South Tyrolean independence movement, seeks to represent the German-speaking population[3] and proposes the secession of South Tyrol from Italy and its reunification with the State of Tyrol within Austria.[3]

The party, whose founding leader was Eva Klotz, is officially led by Werner Thaler, but its leading figure is Sven Knoll.

## History

[edit]

The South Tyrolean Freedom emerged as a split from the Union for South Tyrol (UfS) in May 2007.[3][4] On 8 June 2007 it was notarially founded in Brixen. The founding members were Herbert Campidell, Eva Klotz, Sven Knoll, Reinhold Ladurner, Roland Lang, Sepp Mitterhofer, Werner Thaler and Dietmar Zwerger.

In mid 2007, the party presented a provocative poster campaign with the slogan Süd-Tirol ist nicht Italien! ("South Tyrol is not Italy") and the Austrian flag as background.[5] A sign with the same content was also set up at the Brenner Pass border, in June 2008.[6]

In April 2009, the STF became a full member of the European Free Alliance, a pan-European organization of regionalist parties.[7] Gudrun Kofler from the STF Youth (Junge Süd-Tiroler Freiheit) was elected as Vice President of the EFA Youth.

In January 2012, it was reported that the party had reached 2,800 members, a lot more than UfS in its best days.[8]

In the 2013 provincial election, the STF won 7.2%, its record high so far, resulting in three provincial councillors.[9]

In November 2014, Klotz, who had served in the Provincial Council for 31 consecutive years (for SH, UfS and STF), announced her resignation from the assembly in order to take care of her husband, who was severely ill.[10][11][12]

In the 2018 provincial election, the party obtained 6.0% of the vote and two provincial councillors.

In the municipal elections in September 2020, South Tyrolean Freedom competed in 29 South Tyrolean municipalities with 140 candidates. It was able to increase its seats from 41 to 49.[13]

In the 2023 provincial election, the party surged to 10.9% of the vote, translating into four provincial councillors.

## Ideology

[edit]

The STF sees itself as a "liberal-patriotic" party aimed at protecting the German-speaking population of South Tyrol. The party claims South Tyroleans' right to self-determination and to conduct a referendum in order to decide whether they want to be part of Italy or the Austrian state of Tyrol. The party programme also emphasizes the protection of the environment, the defense of family values, a moderately liberal economic policy and the concept of Europe of the regions.[14]

## Election results

[edit]

### Provincial Council

[edit]

Landtag of South Tyrol Election year  | Votes  | %  | Seats  | +/−  | Leader

|
|
|
|
|

2008 | 14,888  | 4.9  |

2 / 35

Eva Klotz

2013 | 20,736  | 7.2  |

3 / 35

Eva Klotz

2018 | 16,927  | 6.0  |

2 / 35

Sven Knoll

2023 | 30,583  | 10.9  |

4 / 35

Sven Knoll

## Leadership

[edit]

* Spokesperson / Legal Representative: Werner Thaler (2007–present)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "MEHR FREIHEIT! - SÃ¼d-Tiroler Freiheit". suedtiroler-freiheit.com. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
2. ^ Davide Vampa (2016). The Regional Politics of Welfare in Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Springer. p. 63\. ISBN 978-3-319-39007-9.
3. ^ a b c Andrea Carla (2016). "Tensions and Challenges between New and Old minorities: Political Party Discourses on Migration in South Tyrol". In Roberta Medda-Windischer; Patricia Popelier (eds.). Pro-independence Movements and Immigration: Discourse, Policy and Practice. BRILL. p. 70\. ISBN 978-90-04-29439-4.
4. ^ "Unknown".[permanent dead link‍]
5. ^ "Südtirol aktuell" (PDF). Suedstern.org. July 2007. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
6. ^ "Umstrittene "Süd-Tirol-Tafel" wieder am Brenner aufgestellt". Vienna.at. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
7. ^ "Member Parties". E-f-a.org. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
8. ^ "Sudtirol, Eva Klotz Triplica I Suoi Iscritti - L'Indipendenza". Lindipendenza.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
9. ^ "Referendum provinciale confermativo 2014 - Provincia autonoma di Bolzano – Alto Adige". Eleziono.provincia.bz.it. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
10. ^ "Eva Klotz si è dimessa dal consiglio provinciale: Mio marito è malato, voglio stargli vicino - Cronaca - Alto Adige". Archived from the original on 20 November 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
11. ^ "Südtirol: Eva Klotz steigt aus Landtag aus - derStandard.at". DER STANDARD. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
12. ^ Simon, Hackspiel (27 November 2014). "Verfechterin der Selbstbestimmung in Südtirol: Eva Klotz tritt zurück". Tiroler Tageszeitung Online. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
13. ^ "Elezioni comunali 2020 - Alto Adige / Gemeindewahlen 2020 - Südtirol". www.elezionicomunali.bz.it. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
14. ^ "15. Februar 2016: Einladung zum Vortrag "Dorfstraße = via del Paese, Dorfstraße ... ?"". Süd-Tiroler Freiheit. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in Italy

Chamber of Deputies|

* Brothers of Italy (117)
* Democratic Party (71) (incl. DemoS and CD)
* Lega (66)
* Five Star Movement (50)
* Forza Italia (48) (incl. NPSI)
* Action (10)
* Italia Viva (7)
* Greens and Left Alliance
* Green Europe [5]
* Italian Left [4]
* Progressive Party [1]
* Us Moderates (5)
* South Tyrolean People's Party (3)
* More Europe (2) (incl. RI)
* Animalist Movement (1)
* Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (1)
* Coraggio Italia (1)
* South calls North (1)
* Union of the Centre (1)
* Valdostan Union (1)

Senate of the Republic|

* Brothers of Italy (66)
* Democratic Party (37)
* Lega (29) (incl. Fassa)
* Five Star Movement (26)
* Forza Italia (20)
* Italia Viva (7)
* Action (2)
* Greens and Left Alliance
* Italian Left [2]
* Green Europe [1]
* Us Moderates
* Union of the Centre [1]
* South Tyrolean People's Party (2)
* Associative Movement of Italians Abroad (1)
* Campobase (1)
* Coraggio Italia (1)

European Parliament|

* Brothers of Italy (24)
* Democratic Party (21)
* Five Star Movement (8)
* Forza Italia (8)
* Lega (8)
* Greens and Left Alliance (6)
* South Tyrolean People's Party (1)

Other parties in Regional councils|

* Aosta Valley
* Civic Network
* Edelweiss
* For Our Valley
* For Autonomy
* Mouv'
* Valdostan Alliance
* Piedmont
* Moderates
* Lombardy
* Renaissance
* Trentino
* Autonomy House
* La Civica
* Futura Trentino
* Popular Autonomists
* Trentino Project
* Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party
* Union for Trentino
* South Tyrol
* Team K
* Greens
* Die Freiheitlichen
* For South Tyrol with Widmann
* JWA List
* South Tyrolean Freedom
* La Civica
* Vita
* Veneto
* Liga Veneta Repubblica
* Friuli-Venezia Giulia
* Pact for Autonomy
* Slovene Union
* Abruzzo
* Political Action
* Molise
* Building Democracy
* Populars for Italy
* Campania
* Italy Is Popular
* Italian Socialist Party
* Us of the Centre
* Apulia
* Popular Apulia
* Basilicata
* Identity and Action
* Sicily
* Christian Democracy Sicily
* Movement for Autonomy
* Sicilia Vera
* Sardinia
* Civic Sardinia
* Sardinia 20Twenty
* Sardinian Action Party
* Sardinian Reformers
* Possible

* Historical Italian political parties
* 19th-century Italian political groups
* Early 20th-century Italian political parties
* 1950s–1990s Italian political parties

* v
* t
* e

Political parties in South Tyrol

Parties with seats in the Provincial Council:|

* South Tyrolean People's Party (13)
* Team K (4)
* South Tyrolean Freedom (4)
* Greens (3)
* Brothers of Italy (2)
* JWA List (1)
* Die Freiheitlichen (1)
* Democratic Party (1)
* For South Tyrol with Widmann (1)
* Forza Italia (1)
* La Civica (1)
* Vita (1)
* Free Group (1)
* Us Citizens (1)

* Politics of South Tyrol
* List of political parties in South Tyrol

* v
* t
* e

Members of the European Free Alliance

Elected to the
European Parliament|

* New Flemish Alliance
* Latvian Russian Union
* Party of the Corsican Nation
* Republican Left of Catalonia

Other members|

* Autonomy Liberty Participation Ecology
* Bavaria Party
* Catalan Unity
* Democratic Party of Artsakh
* Eusko Alkartasuna
* Frisian National Party
* Future of Åland
* Galician Nationalist Bloc
* Liga Veneta Repubblica
* Majorca Socialist Party
* Mebyon Kernow
* Occitan Party
* Plaid Cymru
* Our Land
* Savoy Region Movement
* Scottish National Party
* Silesian Autonomy Movement
* South Schleswig Voters' Association
* South Tyrolean Freedom
* United Macedonian Organization Ilinden–Pirin
* Unity List
* Unvaniezh Demokratel Breizh
* Valencian Nationalist Bloc
* Yorkshire Party

Observers|

* Hungarian People's Party of Transylvania
* Latvian Russian Union
* New Canaries
* Party of Friendship, Equality and Peace
* Pro Lombardy Independence

Former members|

* Hungarian Christian Democratic Association
* Lista za Rijeku – Lista per Fiume
* Lusatian Alliance
* Rainbow
* Sardinian Action Party
* Slovene Union
* The Other South

EU portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template