Rome's Fiumicino airport was jammed with pilgrims last week. Some were Roman Catholics arriving to observe the Holy Year paschal ceremonies in the Eternal City. More secular-minded visitors included Communist delegations from 70 countries, who flew in for the 14th National Congress of the Italian Communist Party. It promised to be the most important such meeting in years. Principal topic on the six-day agenda was the compromesso storico —the "historic compromise" under which for the first time the Communists seek partnership in an Italian government. As a result of economic disorder and disenchantment over an inept succession of center-left coalition governments...
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