The contemporary political history of the Italian Republic

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Historic victory for the left
By Jordi Martorell, Socialist Appeal, May 1996. For the first time the Communists have now entered government. This has raised great expectations and euphoria. However, the character of this new government is a ‘popular front’ coalition of the former Communist Party, the PDS, with some small capitalist parties.
Italian leftists change party name
Associated Press, 14 February 1998. Italy's leftist parties ended a congress Saturday with a new name, new symbol and appeals for unity. By changing its name to the Democrats of the Left, Italy's largest party, Democratic Party of the Left, hopes to unify a myriad of leftist splinter groups under its banner.
Who will pay the price of a new united Europe?
By David Bacon, 18 February 1998. Italy's new government of former communists says the country can't afford generous pensions any longer: a price that had to be paid to keep the country's whole pension system afloat, while meeting the stiff budget-cutting requirements for joining the new Europe.
Italians Vote On Future of Small Parties
By R. Jeffrey Smith, Washington Post, Sunday 21 May 2000. Italy has 44 political parties and its government rarely passes a major piece of reform legislation. If it passes, the referendum could revolutionize Italy's political system by changing the way parliamentary seats are allocated, thereby discouraging the fractious coalitions.
Politics Italian Style
Interview, LabourNet, 20 October 2000. Italian journalist's union official Rodolfo Falvo talks to Peter Lewis about Italy's Rupert Murdoch and why Italian politics is so crazy.
Controversy Erupts Over Return of Aksum Obelisk
UN Integrated Regional Information Network (UNIRIN), 24 July 2001. The Ethiopian government has reacted angrily to remarks last week by an Italian government official who opposes the return to Ethiopia of an ancient stone obelisk, taken to Rome in 1937 on the orders of the Italian fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini.