At the 2009 leadership election Dario Franceschini was defeated by Pier Luigi Bersani.
Those who supported the former's bid joined forces into AreaDem, a broad minority faction which comprised several groups: Veltroniani, Fassiniani, Fourth Phase, Liberal PD, Democratic Ecologists, Simply Democrats, etc.
By September 2010, both Franceschini and Piero Fassino had re-approached with Bersani, a move which was not approved by Walter Veltroni and Giuseppe Fioroni, who chose to form a "movement" in order to defend the "original spirit" of the PD.
[1][2] In doing this they were supported by 75 deputies: 33 Veltroniani, 35 Populars close to Fioroni and 7 former Rutelliani led by Paolo Gentiloni.
[2] Gero Grassi, right-hand man of Fioroni, is the president of the association.