Socialists put up candidate

Press, 4 July 1978, Page 8

Socialists put up candidate

SZPA-Reuter Rome )! Italian politicians are preparing to make their seventh attempt in five days to elect ■ a president. But unless the main parties reach agreement before voting (at 2 a.m. today. N.Z, time) the result is likely to be another futile exercise with only ‘flag carrying” ; candidates nominated. The elections have become a tug-of-war among the five I parties which prop up the I minority Christian Democratic Government.

In an attempt to break the deadlock, the Socialists, the 'country’s third largest party, on Sunday announced they i would nominate a veteran Socialist. Sandro Pertini, and invited other parties to support him. Mr Pertini, aged 81. a lead-j ing figure in the resistance] movement against the Fas-1 cist dictator, Benito Musso-I lini, is considered the first serious candidate to emerge, in the election battle since; President Giovanni Leone re-i signed last month in the face] of allegations of tax evasion.]

But the outcome of today’s ballot will depend on last--minute negotiations.

The powerful Communist Party has agreed to support a Socialist candidate if the I Christian Democrats also > throw their weight behind i him and so give the election ' the aura of national unity. I But the Christian Demojcrats are still expected to I nominate the man who has

been tipped from the beginning as a likely successor to Mr Leone —their party secreI tary, Benigno Zaccaghini. , As the communists have 'demanded a broad consensus • for any successful candidate, Mr Zaccagnini’s name has been held in the background during manouevres to break the Socialists’ presidential aspirations. In a non-committal statement on Sunday, Christian Democrat leaders said they would consider Mr Pert’ni’s candidature ’’along with that of others.” The 1011-strong college which elects the president is composed of all members of the two houses of Parliament and 58 representatives ;of Italy’s regions. At stake in the presiden-j tial elections is the fragile' Parliamentary pact among i the Christian Democrats,! Communists. Socialists, I Social Democrats, and Republicans.

After the kidnapping and murder of the former Prime Minister, Mr Aldo Moro, the (Christian Democrats haveenI joyed a substantial rise in popularity which has prompted political observers to think the party will push for snap electkms to seek escape from their uncomfortable alliance with the communists. The last General Election in June. 1976, left the Christian Democrats only 4 per cent ahead of the communists.