ELECTIONS IN ITALY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18678, 7 April 1924, Page 9

ELECTIONS IN ITALY.

TWENTY-TWO PARTIES. SURPLUS OF J CANDIDATES. FASCISTS IN ASCENDANT: By Telegraph Association Copyright. (Received 8.45 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. April's. The Rome correspondent of the Morning Post stales that there are 22 distinct political organisations appealing to the country al the general elections on Sunday. There are 1360 candidates for the 555 seats. As the election of 356 Fascists is already assured this leaves 1004 candidates contesting 179 seats. The subsidiary pro-Fascist parties may win from 80 to 100 seats. It is not likely thai, the unclassified oppositionists will secure 100 among them. The Rome correspondent of the London Observer recently stated that the coalition of National forces to form a Government list for the coming elections was proceeding apace, and, according to the latest news, tne ex-Premier, Orlando, the popular Speaker of the Chamber, De Niccola, and several other important Southern Parliamentarians had consented to join it. This, said, the correspondent, secures the adhesion • of the South of Italy, which is more led by men than parties, and which, while loyal in the main to the Fascist Government, would not tolerate the candidature of new men of the Fascist Party in place of their old leaders. So far as can be judged, the Government majority list, which can claim 356 seats, will include from 200 to 250 Fascists, about ten representatives of ex-soldiers' associations, and a hundred or so of outstanding personalities from the Liberal and Democratic Parties. The fact that these men have consented to join the Fascist list is considered a great personal triumph for Mussolini and a proof of the widespread confidence felt in him as a capable head of the Government.