popolari

Popolari is the plural form of the Italian adjective popolare, meaning "of the people" or "popular." In Italian, popolari can describe things relating to the general public or to popular movements, and it can be used as a noun to refer to people associated with a populist or people-centered political current. This noun usage is more common in historical or political contexts, rather than in everyday language.

In political history, popolari is closely tied to Catholic-inspired and centrist popular movements of the early 20th century. The most notable example is the Partito Popolare Italiano (PPI), founded in 1919 by Don Luigi Sturzo. Members and supporters of such movements were often referred to as popolari. The PPI played a significant role in post–World War I Italian politics and helped shape later Christian democratic currents after it was dissolved under fascist rule. The term thus carries historical weight as a label for early 20th-century Catholic lay-centered political forces.

In contemporary usage, popolari remains primarily a grammatical plural form of the adjective and is mainly found in descriptive or historical writing. It is not commonly used today as a standalone political label outside specific historical contexts. Related concepts include populismo (populism) and popolarismo, the latter designating Catholic social-teaching–influenced populist currents. See also Partito Popolare Italiano and Democrazia Cristiana for related historical context.