Italy’s Drift Checked?

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 16

Italy’s Drift Checked?

The Western capitals will be relieved to hear of the agreement to remake the Centre-Left coalition in Italy. For three weeks the country has been in a ferment of strikes and student unrest. The Prime Minister-designate, Mr Rumor, leader of the Christian Democrats, had striven patiently to reform the coalition, which was shattered by the withdrawal of the Socialists nearly six months ago.' Mr Leone, who had performed a valuable service—as he had also done for a few months ir 1963—by presiding over a caretaker Government, handed in its resignation a fortnight ago. While strikes and demonstrations were spreading throughout the country, Mr Leone’s aim no doubt was to put pressure on the main parties, including the Republicans, to compose their differences and get the machinery of government working again.

The Socialists withdrew last May after suffering a heavy loss of support in the elections. They attributed these losses to their failure, as a member of the coalition, to get legislative action on policies to which they were committed, including reforms of Parliamentary procedure, social security improvement, and changes in the university system in response to student demands. The Socialist leader, Mr Nenni, has been thought willing to return to the coalition on almost any terms. The party, however, is hopelessly faction-ridden, divided on whether to turn to the Right or to the Left. In the event the Christian Democrat, Socialist, and Republican Party secretaries have managed to draft a broad working covenant based, apparently, on a reasonable sharing of office and on firm guarantees about the implementation of agreed policy. Strife and unrest are still rife throughout Italy. Towards the end of November a million public servants brought administration to a halt by striking over pension scales. Then a one-day general strike brought out virtually the whole of the working force. A repetition last week of the strike for higher wages stopped industry and transport, and closed schools and even hospitals. The students renewed their demonstrations in every university centre, ostensibly against the shooting of two Sicilian farm workers, but primarily to support their claims for better teaching and a broader student autonomy. Although student unrest and industrial stoppages including a strike by mental hospital doctors resentful of the Government’s failure to provide funds already promised bulked large in the talks between the party leaders, there were other issues scarcely less anxious. Differences of opinion legalising divorce, on the alleged misuse of Government funds by farm co-operatives, and on wage scales and pensions must be reconciled. The students’ demands may call for wider negotiation, between the Government, the heads of faculties, and the student body, if discipline is to be restored in the universities before the beginning of another teaching year.