Italians Promised Sweeping Reforms

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31865, 18 December 1968, Page 19

Italians Promised Sweeping Reforms

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) ROME, December 17. Italy’s new coalition Government has promised sweeping reforms in an effort to end the student and worker unrest that is still gripping the country. Presenting its domestic policy to Parliament yesterday the Prime Minister (Mr Mariano Rumor) pledged himself to doing away with Government bureaucracy, improve schools and universities, and promote full employment and social justice.

On foreign policy, he reaffirmed Italy’s allegiance to the Atlantic Alliance, the United Nations and European unity as “the three pillars of world peace.”

He also promised firm Italian action to achieve British membershio of the European Common Market, “despite the difficulties created by the French attitude.”

He said Italy would seek new and more concrete forms of collaboration with Britain ! with this end in view. The Christian Democrat!

leader formed the Government last Thursday, after six months of political crisis, against a background of continuing violent worker-and-student agitation. Even as he was speaking, demonstrations were reported in various parts of the counitry. In Viareggio, in north-west Italy, all four technical and ■ high schools were occupied I by angry students demanding greater self-government and ! better teaching facilities. ! In Naples, students invaded la college and banked up furniture behind the main entrance. Firemen and police finally managed to enter the building and no-one was hurt. Students in Pisa occupied three technical schools; and in Livorno a building was taken over by students alleg-j

ling victimisation of their colleagues by the education authorities.