▁candidates ) ▁was ▁requested ▁to ▁vot ers ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁tak er ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁election . ▁ ▁The ▁election , ▁attended ▁by ▁over ▁three ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁million ▁vot ers , ▁ended ▁in ▁a ▁lands lide ▁victory ▁for ▁Walter ▁Vel tr oni , ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Rome ▁and ▁former ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁of ▁the ▁Left , ▁who ▁gained ▁ 7 5 . 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote , ▁being ▁thus ▁elected ▁as ▁first ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁leader . ▁ ▁Events ▁Following ▁the ▁national ▁convent ions ▁of ▁the ▁Democr ats ▁of ▁the ▁Left ▁( DS ) ▁and ▁Dem ocracy ▁is ▁Fre edom ▁– ▁The ▁D ais y ▁( DL ), ▁Rom ano ▁Pro di ▁announced ▁a ▁list ▁of ▁ 4 5 ▁polit icians ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁composed ▁the ▁Organ ising ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁All ▁members ▁success ively ▁met ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁decide ▁the ▁rules ▁regarding ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁leader ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 , 4 0 0 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Const itut ing ▁Assembly . ▁A ▁method ▁was ▁chosen ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁associate ▁lists ▁with ▁leadership ▁candidates . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁run ▁into ▁the ▁election , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁sign atures ▁were ▁needed , ▁whereas ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁approved ▁sign atures ▁were ▁requested ▁to ▁run ▁into ▁the ▁leadership ▁race . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁race ▁ 3 0 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁was ▁the ▁dead line ▁for