Italian Election Series - 1990 General Elections

[Antonio the Sixth]

Following the elections, Craxi sought to assess his opportunities. The electoral outcome had been mixed for him, with PSI losing some ground but achieving two key referendum victories: the success of the constitutional amendment coupled with the defeat of PCI's repeal initiative. For the first time since 1977, a coalition without either PCI or DN was theoretically possible, and Craxi opened secret talks with the Greens and Radicals in the hopes to form an alternative majority. However, these talks went nowhere, and President Pertini (who, despite being from the same party, had little esteem for Craxi) made it clear that he would not appoint him unless he would be assured to have a majority. Thus, Craxi soon abandoned his projects and resigned himself to a continuation of the Lama government. After some more talks, PSI and PCI managed to convince the Greens to provide external support in exchange for some environmental legislation. In March, Lama asked the House for confidence and received it, thus sealing the deal.

Despite this reconfirmation, the government lasted for less than a year, as in early 1989, Lama, growing old and tired of holding together a heterogeneous majority, announced his resignation. After tense negotiations, the coalition was salvaged and PSI's Claudio Martelli, Craxi's close ally, was given the spot. Throughout the legislature, the two governments enacted some major environmental regulations, notably limiting hunting rights and pesticide use, establishing serious penalties for polluting industries and seriously reducing its projects for future nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, it pursued the arduous fight against criminality and mafia, while murder statistics skyrocketed. Economically speaking, GDP growth remained strong and inflation was high but tolerable, so the government didn't have much to do (the PCI remained vigilant to ensure high levels of welfare benefits). Finally, in late 1989, the government rewrote the law about "civil responsibility" for judges, partially overriding the referendum's results - much to the anger of Radicals.

Meanwhile, Craxi's new warhorse had become electoral reform. Soon after the beginning of the parliamentary session, he gave a forceful speech in the House of Representatives, claiming that Italy needed a new electoral system to ensure cohesive parliamentary majorities. This speech strongly resonated with a widespread but previously unnoticed popular movement which gathered politicians, activists and other members of the civil society. Their common will was to radically reform the political system so as to move Italy from its consociative model of government (associated with corruption, patronage and backroom dealing) into a bipolarized system in the vein of other European democracies. Craxi thus became the unlikely ally of this Movement for Electoral Reform, which comprised many Radicals or otherwise marginal figures. He easily convinced the government to open a parliamentary debate on the subject by late 1988. However, discussion dragged on for over a year, as parliamentarians were unable to agree on what sort of electoral system to enact (many didn't want to change at all, obviously). In late 1898 thus, Martelli, instructed by Craxi, exercised its new power to start consultative referendums, asking Italians which sort of electoral system they would rather have. The referendum would be held concurrently with the next general elections.

In February 1990, Pertini's death (at 94) anticipated the presidential election by a couple months. Caught by surprise, the coalition was unable to agree on a common candidate, as was the custom until that point. Frustrated by Pertini's hostility, Craxi intended to place in the Quirinale someone more favorable to his interests. He pretexted the need to find a broad agreement that went beyond the governing coalition to launch the candidacy of Arnaldo Forlani, a centrist PDPer who had good relationships with Craxi. However, this choice was not welcomed by PCI. Many in the party had begun to claim that, in light of the party's electoral importance and of their key role in government coalitions, time had come for a communist President. The party put forth as its official candidate Nilde Iotti, longtime companion of the old PCI leader Palmiro Togliatti and a widely respected figure. Craxi attempted to dissuade the communists, claiming that the party was too "divisive" to hold the Presidency, but the split in the coalition proved definitive. In the first round of the election, Forlani emerged ahead with near-unanimous support from PSI, PDP and PLI, with roughly a third of the vote. Iotti was close behind, with strong support from PCI and a few other parties. The stalemate continued in the next few rounds, but the "Forlani coalition" began to unravel by the fifth ballot, with several candidates (from Giovanni Spadolini to Luciano Lama, to Valerio Zanone). Meanwhile, Iotti picked up support from "rogue" presidential electors, and had soon secured about 40% of the college. Finally, on the 14th round, she reached a narrow majority as almost all the Greens, a strong majority of the Radicals, the PSI's left-wing, a few rogue PDPers and even a couple DNers, rallied her candidacy. Nilde Iotti thus became, at the same time, the first woman and the first communist to occupy Italy's highest office.

The conflict sparked by the presidential election had however significantly weakened the governing coalition. The government managed to hold on for a while, with messages of appeasement coming from both sides. However, disagreements between the two partners soon escalated. In the summer, Martelli caught PCI by surprise and dissolved the parliament, with new elections called in October - along with the consultative referendum on electoral reform.


List of parties:

Italian Communist Party (PCI) Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the party has been undergoing a major identity crisis. Only a couple days after that historical event, Ochetto, a firm believer in the need to radically renew the party, announced a couple days later the beginning of a new political process. Early in the year, his motion in favor of an "evolution" of the PCI won a resounding majority in the party's congress, kicking of a transitory period that should give birth to the new party. This turn has been met with striking criticism by the party's left-wing, which fear that the party will lose its identity. Focused on these internal squabbles and endless polemics, PCI was unable to much an impact on the coalition's policies (though the widespread prosperity meant that no urgent reform was needed). Furthermore, Martelli's untimely dissolution interrupted the party in the middle of this renewal process. With internal debates dominating the party's life, PCI had a hard time speaking with a single voice during the campaign.

Italian Socialist Party (PSI) Craxi and Martelli are largely campaigning hand in hand, once again urging Italians to give the country a "strong, stable and decisive government". They also promise that the PSI will respect their choice with regard to electoral reform, and push through parliament an electoral law conform to the option they have chosen.

Federation of the Greens (FV) Strong with several major legislative achievements, Italy's ecologist party is asking Italians to renew their confidence and promising to push for more stringent environmental regulations.

Pannella List (Pan.) In its 1989 congress, the Radical Party resolved to abandon electoral politics and focus on societal activism at the Italian and international levels. However, Marco Pannella, one of the party's most prominent leaders, chose to run his own list for these elections, made up of other Radical politicians. The lists' agenda is the same as the Radical agenda of always: more individual freedom, less corruption and "partitocracy".

Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) In 1990, the PDP chose as its leader former Palermo mayor Leoluca Orlando, a major figure of the fight against mafia and corruption. Orlando is trying to re-energize a largely moribund party by trying to develop connections with civil society and grassroots activists. His political vision is imprinted of progressive Catholicism in Moro's tradition.

Italian Liberal Party (PLI) The party is still led by Renato Altissimo and still propounds a neoliberal agenda. With the continued economic prosperity, PLI has focused its campaign on the need for spending cuts and deficit reduction.

National Right (DN) Still a national-conservative party with staunchly right-wing (and somewhat populist) stances. With continued good electoral results, it seeks to develop a greater influence on the political life.

Northern League (LN) A new political party founded in 1989 by Umberto Bossi, from the merger of several local "Leagues" that had burgeoned in several northern regions. As its name indicates, it is dedicated to championing the interests of Northern Italy (which it calls "Padania"), which it claims is being oppressed by Italy's central government. It oscillates between supporting independence for Padania or simply greater autonomy. Its rhetoric is extremely populist and often downright vulgar, especially harsh toward the political establishment, but also toward Southerners and immigrants.

[Supersonic]

Northern League, pretty much the same social positions as DN but more right wing economically.

Edit: PCI really is imploding with internal squabbles..

[Antonio the Sixth]

Berlin Wall coming down in five, four...

1989 to 1991 in an Italy where the PCI is the largest party should be fun, even if this Italian political spectrum is different enough from the real one that being the largest party doesn't really mean what it otherwise might.

Well, here we are! Even as the first party, PCI is experiencing the same issues as it did in real life. While the still excellent results mean that the PCI isn't as insecure about its identity as it was IRL, this is compensated by PCI's presence in a governing coalition, which, as always in Italian politics, is a very strong moderating force.

[RogueBeaver]

DN.

[DC Al Fine]

DN.

Tony, forgive me if this has been explained already, but what happened to Proletarian Democracy?

[TNF]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

[Peter the Lefty]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

[Leftbehind]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

DN.

[Sir John Johns]

Greens, but I hesitated to vote for PDP, as Orlando looks like a FF.

Your series about Italian elections are really great (glad to see Iotti winning over a corrupt politician like Forlani). My only frustration is the lack of information about the leadership of the National Right. IIRC you didn't name a single of its leader so far. Sorry, if that had been explained before, but I have also hard time to understand if it's the equivalent of RL MSI or of RL right-wing of DC (or a combination of both). Could you provide some clarification about that, please?

[Goldwater]

Ugh, it almost seems like a wasted vote to vote for a party that isn't DN or PCI...

[DC Al Fine]

Greens, but I hesitated to vote for PDP, as Orlando looks like a FF.

Your series about Italian elections are really great (glad to see Iotti winning over a corrupt politician like Forlani). My only frustration is the lack of information about the leadership of the National Right. IIRC you didn't name a single of its leader so far. Sorry, if that had been explained before, but I have also hard time to understand if it's the equivalent of RL MSI or of RL right-wing of DC (or a combination of both). Could you provide some clarification about that, please?

Roughly speaking it's the party for right wingers that aren't economic liberals. It includes the religious right, monarchists, right wing populists and the odd fascist. Tony can give you more detail.

[Dereich]

PDP moderating another Communist led government is better than see DN and the Northern league in power, so I vote for them.

[H. Ross Peron]

PDP 'cause I'm annoyed at PSI's surrender on the nuclear issue.

[Goldwater]

I'll go with PDP, to try to create a stable government.

[Antonio the Sixth]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

It definitely will, whether you want to or not.

Greens, but I hesitated to vote for PDP, as Orlando looks like a FF.

Your series about Italian elections are really great (glad to see Iotti winning over a corrupt politician like Forlani). My only frustration is the lack of information about the leadership of the National Right. IIRC you didn't name a single of its leader so far. Sorry, if that had been explained before, but I have also hard time to understand if it's the equivalent of RL MSI or of RL right-wing of DC (or a combination of both). Could you provide some clarification about that, please?

DN is, at that point in time, more or less the equivalent of real-life MSI (though a slightly watered down version). Basically, following the dictatorship, MSI and PDIUM, which were closely associated with the regime, died out. However, the politicians and activists of nationalist/conservative/ monarchist tendencies who had escaped from the post-liberation purge soon reorganized by forming National Right. It's worth noting that, roughly at the same point in time IRL, MSI and PDIUM merged to form the Italian Social Movement-National Right, which is where I've taken the name from. The only difference between this party and the RL one is that in Atlitaly, monarchists, rather than fascists, were the dominant tendency.

As for the leader, I am not sure yet. The most likely leader is probably Gianfranco Fini (who led RL MSI at that point in time), but maybe due to the events of this timeline, his takeover will take slightly longer. He will for sure be the leader by the next election, anyhow.

[Supersonic]

Wow, look at the perfect split on the right..

[Antonio the Sixth]

DN.

Tony, forgive me if this has been explained already, but what happened to Proletarian Democracy?

DP further fell into irrelevancy, polling less than half a percentage point and losing any parliamentary representation. The party's brand of far-leftism appeared increasingly out of touch with reality, and the wave of sympathy following Berlinguer's death brought their remaining voters back to PCI. Soon after this electoral setback, the party decided to abandon electoral activity and dedicate itself exclusively to grassroots militancy.

[Sir John Johns]

Thanks for these explanations.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Thanks for these explanations.

You're welcome.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

PCI I guess but it'll probably be the last election I'd vote for them.

Yeah. Let's send them out with honor.

[Peter the Lefty]

Lol @ the PSI.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Lol @ the PSI.

Cool, that means I have to make up a believable explanation for its sudden collapse?

[DC Al Fine]

Lol @ the PSI.

Cool, that means I have to make up a believable explanation for its sudden collapse?

"In international news, the Italian election campaign was shaken up after a prominent socialist politician caught was sodomizing a goat..."