Association of parties and movements opposed to fascism and German occupation, created in Rome, on 9 September 1943. It was an inter-party formation made up of movements of different cultural and ideological backgrounds, composed of representatives of communists (PCI), Catholics (DC), liberals (PdA), liberals (PLI), socialists (PSIUP) and progressive democrats (PDL). The Republican Party remained outside the CLN, despite participating in the Resistance, due to its institutional position which entailed an anti-monarchist prejudicial.
The CLN was divided into CLNAI (Committee of National Liberation of Northern Italy, based in Milan) and CLNC (Central National Liberation Committee).
The CLN operated as a clandestine organization throughout the Resistance, also carrying out government functions during the days of national insurrection. Each party represented in the CLN had its Partisan Formations.
The Regional and Provincial Committees had a predominantly political and coordination task, with influence, but not direct command, over the partisan military formations (which generally responded directly to their party). Before the 1946 elections, the CLN was despoiled of all functions and then dissolved in 1947.