ITALY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A001200030007-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: March 9, 1960
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 2000/08/29 : CIA-RDP79R0089OA001200030007-4
NSC BRIEFING 9 March 1960
I. Premier Segni's resignation on 24 February precipitated what may
be the most important political crisis in post-war Italy.
A. For the seventh time since 1953 the Christian Democrats must
look to other parties for a parliamentary majority, and
protracted negotiations are in prospect.
II. Segni's all-Christian Democratic cabinet had depended on the
three rightist parties--Liberals, monarchists, and neo-Fascists.
A. The Liberals withdrew support on 21 February rather than
support a government which appeared to be moving toward a
rapprochement with the Nenni Socialists.
B. Segni did not want Christian Democrats to face the spring
nationwide local elections while dependent on the two parties
of the extreme right.
III. Christian Democratic leaders have indicated privately to embassy
officials that they are working up to formation of a center-left
government with the Democratic Socialists and Republicans, de-
pendent on Nenni Socialist parliamentary abstention for a working
majority.
A. They believe that formation of the old pre-Segni quadripartite
with Social Democrats, Republicans; and Liberals is blocked
by Democratic Socialist leader aragat's refusal t join a
government with the Liberals. 00CUMENT -'
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D. The Christian Democratic left wing (including President
Gronchi), the Democratic Socialists, and the Republicans,
favor such a center-left government because they believe it
would give a stable majority.
C. The Nenni Socialists have announced that they will support a
government disassociated from the Right.
1. Nenni, 69, is anxious for eventual cabinet post, which
postwar association with Communists has little chance to
give him.
2. Revelations at CPSU's 20th party congress, and Hungarian
uprising sharpened his split with PCI.
3. While Nenni's group in PSI has control of party machinery;
the party's funds still come largely from municipal
governments, cooperatives etc., where PSI participates
jointly with Communists.
4. His public announcements of unwillingness to take "anti-
Communist" line probably meant to allay fears of electoral
supporters that a move too far to right would endanger
workers' unity.
D. The Communists fear isolation. They have announced their sup-
port for such a center-left government in hopes of killing a
rapprochement between Nenni and the Christian Democrats.
IV. The Christian Democratic right wing may prefer to torpedo a
center-left government from within, as it did with Fanfani,
rather than take the dangerous step of splitting the party to
prevent it.
Approved For Release 2000/08/29 : CIA-RDP79R0089OA001200030007-4
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