Foundation

On 3 July 2007 Storace announced his resignation from National Alliance (AN) in a letter posted on his website, claiming that AN had become too centrist and moderate and in protest against the lack of internal democracy in the party, and on 27 July he announced the formation of a new party.

On 10 November the party was founded in a constituent congress in Rome. On that occasion the Sicilian Alliance of Nello Musumeci merged into The Right, and Daniela Santanchè, a leading female member of AN, left the party to join The Right,^[6] broadening its appeal, as she was close to the Italian Liberal Party (PLI) and never joined the Italian Social Movement (MSI). In January 2008 Unitalia, a minor party in South Tyrol, and Taverna List, a minor party in the province of Trentino, merged into The Right.

As the party was organised as a federal structure, Unitalia and Taverna List became the provincial sections of the party in the Provinces of South Tyrol and Trento, respectively, as Sicilian Alliance had become the regional section of the party in Sicily.^[7]

2008 general election

On 27 February 2008 it was announced that The Right would contest the 2008 general election in alliance with Tricolour Flame, outside The People of Freedom-led centre-right coalition, in a joint list known as The Right–Tricolour Flame.^[4] Daniela Santanchè was the candidate for Prime Minister of Italy, and leader of the joint list between the two parties.

On 18 January 2008 Giancarlo Pagliarini joined the party. Pagliarini is a libertarian and keen fiscal federalist who was a leading member of Lega Nord from 1991 to 2007 and was close to the independentist wing of the party.^[8] He headed the coalition list in Lombardy for the Senate.

Despite several well-known candidates, the party gained only 2.4% and thus failed to surpass the 4% threshold for entering the Chamber of Deputies. Also Storace, who topped the list in his home-region Lazio, failed re-election, as the coalition stopped at 3.2%, five points below the 8% regional threshold.^[9]

Out of Parliament

On 20 July 2008, during a party convention, Storace resigned from party leadership, opening way for a national congress and a leadership election.^[10] This election would also decide the party's electoral strategy, choosing either to continue an independent path or to join The People of Freedom (PdL) of Silvio Berlusconi. Storace favoured the first option, while Santanchè favoured an alliance with Berlusconi.^[11] Storace would continue to be party secretary at least until the November congress and after if party members decided so.^[12]

On 22 August 2008 Santanchè presented her candidacy for the party leadership, competing against Storace, who would stand again as candidate.^[13] However, on 28 September, Santanché resigned as spokesperson and from the party, opening the possibility for a more consensual congress.^[14] On 9 November Storace was re-elected secretary during a party congress. On that occasion he remarked that he did not exclude a future alliance with PdL.^[15]

In October 2008 the party suffered another split led by Stefano Morselli, who launched Federal Right,^[16] and Paolo Casolari, journalist, one of the founders and head of the party in Emilia-Romagna. In November Santanchè launched her Movement for Italy.^[17] Both parties were expected to join PdL, while a third party resulting from the split, Libertarian Right led by Luciano Buonocore, joined it.^[18]

In the 2009 European Parliament election the party ran as part of The Autonomy, an alliance including the Movement for the Autonomies, the Pensioners' Party and the Alliance of the Centre,^[19][20] gaining 2.2% of the vote, resulting in no seats in the European Parliament. For the 2010 regional elections Storace signed a national pact with the PdL under which The Right supported PdL or Lega Nord candidates for President in all 13 regions where an election took place.^[21]

In the 2012 Sicilian regional election, Nello Musumeci ran for President for the centre-right coalition, but lost to Rosario Crocetta of the Democratic Party.^[22]

In the 2013 general election, held in February 2013, the party obtained 0.7% of the vote, gaining no seats.^[23]

European Parliament election of 2014

On the occasion of the 2014 European Parliament election The Right supported the candidates of Forza Italia.^[24]

Adhesion to National Movement for Sovereignty

On 18 February 2017 the Right, together with National Action, merged into the new party called National Movement for Sovereignty.^[25]

Italian Parliament

European Parliament