Athens Meeting 19-20 June 2003, Contribution by Party of
Italian Communists
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From: SolidNet
http://www.comunisti-italiani.it ,
mailto:esteri@comunisti-italiani.org
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by Jacopo Venier

A GOVERNMENT OF THE LEFT OBSTRUCTS
NEO-LIBERAL RESTORATION

Dear Comrades,

As you know, in 2001, Italy was the first country
witnessing the success of the right wing, which opened the
way to a right wing wave which crossed the whole world.

The good government performed by L'ULIVO, the alliance
among the Center and the Left forces (including the Party
of Italian Communists), didn't help to prevent the success
of the right wing forces, which showed their unity at the
general elections, while the democratic and left forces
showed deeply divided.

Moreover, though a slight difference in the number of vote,
due to the majority-electoral system, the right wing forces
got an enormous majority seats in the Italian Parliament.

The Italian right wing is integrated in the reactionary and
neo-conservative world alignment, close the President of
the USA, Mr. Bush.

Berlusconi's government's strategic plan is deleting the
Italian Constitution, offspring of the victory on
nazi-fascism: by dismantling it, they would move a first
step in their plan of transformation of the Italian
society, which, in their view, should be as closest as
possible to the ISA political, social and economical model.

Italy is currently crossed by a democratic emergency. In
order to let you understand how serious the Italian
situation is, I'll give you some examples:
In 2001, after a few months while governing, the right wing
launched a harsh attack on the NO/Global/New Global
movement, in Genoa. Under the direction of the Vice Prime
Minister, the fascist Gianfranco Fini, the democratic
rights, in Italy, were suspended, through the violence and
the tortures practiced by the police.
In 2001, part of the fiscal laws were modified, deleting
any progressive element, in order to favour the richest and
taxes evaders.
Then, the institution of Magistrates, the Magistratura,
which in Italy is independent from the Government, was
fiercely attacked, in order to prevent Berlusconi and his
friends to be judged in trials.
They've proceeded towards a process of privatization of
both the National Education and Health systems.
In 2003, they caused a spilt within Europe, driving Italy
to support the USA invasion of Iraq, though 90% of Italians
were against, and, today, the Italian troops are about to
join the Anglo-American ones in the occupation of Iraq.

These are some examples to describe the dramatic situation
in Italy.

An important social and political reaction to such an
attack was activated. Under the guidance of the main
Italian Trade Union, the CGIL, workers mobilized to defend
their own rights.

The most progressive part of intellectuals organized
massive demonstrations to defend both authority and
citizens' equality in laws. An immense movement for peace
crossed the Italian society, forcing the Government not to
commit Italy directly in the invasion.

These huge movements clearly asked for a Left able not only
to contrast the danger represented by Belusconi, but to
propose also an alternative to this neo-liberal order.

Wider alliance per se are not capable to stop the worst
European rightwing: a transformation project is needed in
order to break the social block of the adversary forces and
to enlarge lower classes and workers' interests.

An interesting debate started also within the
Social-democrat Party, where risk of a split was highly
critical.

We, as Italian Communist, think that a space for the
transformation forces dwells in the capability of
translating the requests advanced by the movements,
by giving the struggles against neo-liberalism a political
outcome
by building alliances to defeat the fascist and reactionary
forces,
And, at the same time,
by achieving a positive balance of strength of the Left,
leading it back to the Government, where it will have to
keep firmly its values and to act true changes in our
society.
Our duty is
to link Europe's important struggles to the victorious
events in Latin America,
to re-launch the challenge in Asia (where the next World
Social Forum will take place)
to give hopes to Africa.

Communists must dialogue with movements but they've also to
communicate among themselves, as if we are still here, it
is because, even after 1989, we haven't abandoned our
values, our ideas and our struggles to wave proudly the
flag of transformation and socialism.