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International Notes
Electio
ns in
Italy
HE ITALIAN RULING class
now faces a complete collapse
of its authority as the entire fabric of its establishment is eroded by the corruption investigations. More than a thousand senior politicians and businessmen are implicated alongside top executives from major companies such as Olivetti and Fiat.
Giovanni Agnelli, Fiat chairman, set an unusual precedent when he admitted his company's guilt in illegal collusion with politicians. Discounting allegations that the inquiries were part of a plot or political manoeuvrings he called for "a new season of material and moral reconstruction"
Described by the bourgeois press as "the real symbol and incarnation of economic power" », Agnelli represents the sober voice of Italian capitalism. In the face of absolute turmoil, with daily evidence emerging pointing to state involvement both in the murders of anti-Mafia judges and recent fire-bomb attacks, their desire must be to restore some sort of order as quickly as possible.
Results in recent local elections, involving nearly a quarter of the electorate, must have been particularly disturbing for the ruling class as they confirmed the general trend of rejection of all the traditional ruling parties and growth for those parties in opposition.
If a general election were held today the ruling coalition parties would muster less than 20%. The Christian Democracy (DC), chief representatives of the ruling class, saw its vote more than halved with many traditional strongholds threatened. The dis-
8 • Italy
graced Socialist Party (PSI) plummeted from 17% to less than 2%. The two minor coalition parties face oblivion. The only groups which increased their support were those presenting an aggressive opposition to the status quo.
Northern League leader, Bossi.
Foremost of these was the separatist Northern League which received 32% and has now established itself as the main party in the rich industrial north. The fascist MSI and the anti-Mafia Network also increased their vote.
The results for the workers' parties reveal the tip of the iceberg of the untapped potential for genuine change. Despite being tainted by implication in the corruption investigations the PDS (the bulk of the former Communist Party) retained its traditional strongholds in central Italy.
It was, however, overtaken by the success of the Communist Refoundation party (RC), the leftwing split from the PDS. RC improved on its vote in last years general elections, going from 5.6% to 8.2% and overtook the PDS to become the second party in the major industrial cities of Turin and Milan.
By Soraya Lawrence
The election results will put further pressure on the government to reach an agreement on new electoral laws for early elections, to satisfy the demand for change and attempt to restore some credibility to the system.
EANWHILE THE DC
hopes to stem ies haemor-
rhage of support by changing its name either to the Popular European Party or its original 'Peoples Party. The PSI is opting for European Socialists', though it remains to be seen how they could revive from their present crisis. They have had to find yet another new leader to replace Giorgio Benvenuto who resigned after only three months, taking with him half of the secretariat. The party has an estimated £128m of debts and full time workers at the HQ have not been paid for the last four months (including Benvenuto!).
When those Socialist Party members resigned, PDS leader Achille Occhetto appealed to them to join his party in a 'democratic alliance'. At the same time he has made overtures to the Democratic Alliance party of former DC MP, Mario Segni. Occhetto faces internal divisions within his party. In May, veteran left leader Pietro Ingrao, resigned from the party. He said that the PDS had become a 'mutation' of its socialist aims. Whilst the 10% support he enjoyed in the party does not seem to have followed, it remains to be seen what will happen following the resignation of the left trade union leader Fausto Bertinotti and 30 others in protest at the party's support of the new Ciampi government. Although initially proclaiming that they would found a new left-wing alliance' it seems possible that they may join the RC.
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