President’s call for Italian unity

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 13

President’s call for Italian unity

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) ROME, December 29.

Italy’s new President, Mr Giovanni Leone, today called on the country to put an end to violence and intolerance, and pleaded for national unity in a conciliatory inaugural address to a joint session of Parliament.

President Leone, a former Christian Democrat premier, was also able to avoid an immediate political crisis by persuading the Prime Minister (Mr Emilio Colombo) to remain at the head of the Government. The new President, a small, bespectacled Neapolitan, also

appealed for religious and social peace during his 15miqute address. He was elected on Christmas Eve after the stormiest and longest Presidential election in the republic’s 25-year history, obtaining 518 votes, just 13 more than the required 505 majority. It was widely feared that a political crisis might follow almost immediately after he took over from President Giuseppe Saragat; but it now seems almost certain that there will be no serious upheaval after the New Year. President Leone, at 63 the youngest of Italy’s six Heads of State, is one of Italy’s leading criminal lawyers. His address was a finely balanced piece of oratory aimed at calming the passion aroused by his election. He was elected by his own Christian Democrat Party and the Social Democrats, both members of the Government Coalition, as well as by the Republicans, who give the Government outside support, and the Liberals. The Socialists, the biggest partner in the coalition after the Christian Democrats, voted against President Leone and sought Communist support for the veteran Socialist, Mr Pietro Nenni. After their defeat, it was thought they might force a Government crisis when President Leone took over today from President .Saragat—but a brief, informal meeting' of their executive merely announced that a full meeting would be held on January 5. President Leone, in his address, emphasised what he said was the need to preserve religious peace in Italy and warned Parliament against Church and State building “anachronistc fences” round themselves. The Church-State concordat, drawn up between the Vatican and the Fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, is now under review. Some anti-Church extremists would Hike to see it abolished. ' On foreign policy, President Leone, who also be- | comes head of the armed forIces, reaffirmed Italy’s attachment to the North Atlantic I alliance and support for a I European security conference.