ITALY: Toward the Communist Alternative?

For a quarter-century, Italians have taken it for granted that whatever else happens, the ruling Christian Democrats would remain in control and the Communists would never share power. Both assumptions were valid enough in better times, but they are clearly suspect in a year in which the economy sinks further toward possible disaster every day. Last week, after a month without any government at all—and with no viable coalition in sight—even the most cynical of Italians were wondering just how many political crises it would take for the Christian Democrats to ask the...