(2 of 3)
ACT V. Nenni, 78, but wily as ever, works out a compromise to keep the two sides together. According to his plan, the party's central committee will approve—narrowly—a resolution restating the manifesto that reunited them three years ago: Communists should play no part in the "government process." Then the committee will approve a resolution by De Martino to study whether the Communists might somehow, some day be brought into the government. But when the committee meets and the no-Communists vote is taken, Nenni is either double-crossed or victimized by misunderstandings. His resolution loses 69-52. "I will not remain in this post even an hour more," says the stunned Nenni, who thereupon resigns as both party leader and Foreign Minister.
ACT VI. The ex-Social Democrats also leave. Angrily, they regroup as the Unitary Socialist Party. Their representatives in Rumor's Cabinet resign. Under Italian parliamentary procedure, Rumor has no choice but to resign as well.
That is how the plot went up to week's end. For Italy, the outcome was a pity. Rumor's government had begun to make some progress. Bills on pension increases, wage equalization between prosperous North and impoverished South, judicial reform, divorce and education were all moving through Parliament. In recent regional elections, as one result, the Christian Democrats and Socialists gained while the Communist vote fell off.
A New Government. President Saragat's choice to form a new government, under the circumstances, was Mariano Rumor. But the task may be harder than Rumor's first attempt at Cabinetmaking last winter, which took 16 days. This time there are more factions to negotiate with. In addition, the ex-Social Democrats, who still have 29 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, last week were refusing to join any coalition that included Nenni Socialists.
One possibility was a monocolore government, or one composed only of Rumor's Christian Democrats that would govern at the pleasure of all parties. The Christian Democrats oppose such a solution. Party Secretary Flaminio Piccoli last week insisted that "the only road open for the Christian Democrats remains the center-left."
What Piccoli and the Christian Democrats want is some foul-weather friends. Italy is experiencing a growing domestic unrest, due mostly to the heavy-handed slowness of government bureaucracy. No fewer than 35 labor contracts are up for negotiation this fall, and labor leaders are tough-minded when the government is in trouble. Continuing unrest may necessitate government crackdowns. Under such circumstances, the Christian Democrats would prefer not to be governing alone.