 On 22 June 1999, after the European elections had concluded, some socialists including Cicchitto and Boniver left the party and joined Forza Italia.After long periods of low visibility, the direction promoted the establishment of a new party.In 2001, the New Italian Socialist Party (NPSI) was founded after the merger between PS and the Socialist League, which was created by Bobo Craxi and Claudio Martelli after they had left the SDI one year before.