In May 2017 the seven senators of DI joined the Great Autonomies and Freedom (GAL) group,[6] composed primarily of minor centre-right parties, while the CoR sub-group in the Chamber maintained its name for some time.

In the 2017 local elections the party increased the CoR's vote in Apulia (Fitto's heartland), but failed to make inroads outside the region (1.1% in Padua,[7] 1.2% in Alessandria,[8] 2.2% in Rieti,[9] etc.)

[14][15] In Parliament the party suffered the loss of Rocco Palese, leader in the Chamber and long-time ally of Fitto, who switched back to FI,[16] while welcoming two splinters from the Civics and Innovators sub-group, Pierpaolo Vargiu (a member of the RS) and Salvatore Matarrese, both elected with Civic Choice (SC) in 2013.

[18] In November two deputies, Trifone Altieri and Roberto Marti, switched to Us with Salvini,[19] while Renata Bueno of the South American Union Italian Emigrants joined just the sub-group.

[20] In December 2017 DI was a founding member of Us with Italy (NcI), a pro-Silvio Berlusconi centrist electoral list within the centre-right coalition for the 2018 general election, along with SC, Act!