Most notably, in mid 2016 SC was divided on the prospect of forming a joint group with Denis Verdini's Liberal Popular Alliance (ALA), as proposed by new party leader Enrico Zanetti.

[12] Later that month the group was joined by two more deputies (Ivan Catalano and Mara Mucci), who were both former members of the Five Star Movement.

While the group leadership was keen on an alliance with the Democrats and Antimo Cesaro was confirmed undersecretary of Culture by Gentiloni,[18] an increasing number of deputies was turning against the government.

[19] Others (Gianfranco Librandi, Andrea Mazziotti and Stefano Dambruoso) took part, along with Mario Monti, Francesco Rutelli, Emma Bonino and the Italian Radicals, Carlo Scognamiglio and The Liberals, to a pro-Europeanist event organised by Benedetto Della Vedova (undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, former Radical and SC member) in February.

In June 2017 Giovanni Palladino, one of the group's left-wingers, left in order to join the PD,[22] while right-wingers Vargiu and Matarrese switched to DI.

[1] In December Menorello and Monchiero were appointed by EpI's president Stefano Parisi to the party's political secretariat.