The Press WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1964. Mr Saragat Achieves His Goal

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30636, 30 December 1964, Page 8

The Press WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1964. Mr Saragat Achieves His Goal

Mr Saragat, the Social Democrat leader, has achieved his ambition of becoming the fifth President of Italy, finally obtaining the almost indispensable votes of his old foes, the Communists. He always seemed the most likely choice, because the poor party discipline of the numerically strongest party, the Christian Democrats, prevented full support for its nominal candidate, Mr Leone.

The president was elected by a college consisting of all 630 deputies, all 320 senators, and 13 regional representatives. On the first three ballots a two-thirds vote was required; but on subsequent ballots only an absolute majority of all votes cast, or 482. Though the Christian Democrats could muster 393 electors, the secrecy of the ballot enabled them to vote not for the party’s candidate but according to personal preferences. Because of the Christian Democrats’ disunity the strongest group effectively was the Communist Party with 249 electors. The Communists would no doubt have preferred Mr Nenni, leader of the Marxian Socialists, to Mr Saragat, who heads the breakaway Socialist group. When they saw Mr Nenni had no chance they gave their support to Mr Saragat, who had recently courted their favour, as the least unsuitable candidate. In 1955 the Communists also had the decisive vote, which they used then in co-operation with the extreme Right wing of the Italian Parliament to elect Mr Gronchi, who did not have the official support of his own party, the Christian Democrats.

Though Mr Leone and Mr Saragat were the principal contenders this year, the fear of most Parliamentarians was that Professor Fanfani might be able to organise a coalition like that of President Gronchi. Professor Fanfani, the most brilliant Italian politician, is also the most unpredictable. Though no-one is quite sure whether he is of the Right or the Left or the Centre, it is generally suspected that his real policy is the creation of a Presidential republic (with himself as president) out of a Parliamentary republic. The Italian constitution might be construed to give the President such influence, and it certainly makes him much more than a titular and ceremonial head of State. That explains not only the determination to keep Professor Fanfani out but also the eagerness of other leading politicians to obtain office. Though Mr Saragat’s election is further evidence of the decline of the Christian Democrat Party, his election will be acceptable to most of its members, because he has been a loyal and useful Foreign Minister of the Centre-Left Government that they head.