Italy’s communists shift left after defeat

The largest party of the European radical left, Rifondazione Comunista of Italy, held its national congress last weekend and made a decisive shift to the left.

This was a defeat for the long time national secretary of Rifondazione, Fausto Bertinotti, and the man tipped to succeed him, the regional governor of Puglia Nichi Vendola.

At its previous congress three years ago, Rifondazione voted to join a coalition government of the centre left led by Romano Prodi. Prodi was elected with the narrowest of majorities in 2006.

But this year’s congress was held in the wake of April’s decisive electoral win for a right wing coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi. The radical left lost 2.5 million votes and, for the first time since the fall of fascism in 1945, there will be no communists in the Italian parliament.

Source:
Italy’s communists shift left after defeat
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