The Democratic Party of the Left (Italian: Partito democratico della Sinistra, or PDS) was the evolution in a social-democratic direction of the Italian Communist Party, or PCI. It was founded by Achille Occhetto, last secretary of the PCI and first of the PDS.

The logo of the PDS consisted mainly of an oak tree that retained, in a small circle at the tree's roots, the previous symbol of the Italian Communist Party; this was done both to indicate the party's roots, and to avoid that the Communist Refoundation Party could make use of it immediately after the split between the two.

The PDS later merged with some smaller left-wing movements to form the Democrats of the Left, dropping the hammer and sickle for the classic social-democratic symbol, the red rose. The former PCI symbol was then taken over by the Party of Italian Communists.

Political parties in ItalyPostcommunist parties

Partito Democratico della Sinistra