SCELBA GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED IN ITALY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200180008-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: March 11, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

Approved For Release 20 0R01443R000200180008-4
NSC BRIEFING ii March 1954
SCELBA GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED IN ITALY
1. Premier Scelba's coalition government
confirmed by lower house on 10 March.
A. Vote of 300 to 283 follows similar
confirmation by center parties in
upper house last week.
II. Government nevertheless in precarious
situation because:
A. Narrow margin of victory means virtual
confidence vote on every issue,
necessity of paying attention to
wishes of minor party supporters.
,III. For the present, government can be
expected to:
A. Concentrate on financial problems,
especially budget for fiscal 1955.
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Postpone controversial EDC issue,
possibly by burying in committee.
C. Use unsettled Trieste issue as
excuse for any delays cooperation
with US.
IV. This government greatest threat to Com-
munists since 1949 because:
A. Scelba known anti-Fascist, can take
strong steps against Communists, as
did when interior minister in charge
of police, hosing Communist demon-
stration with red fluid.
B. Democratic Socialists in key cabinet
posts to undertake economic reforms.
C. Scelba's Christian Democrats have
avoided alliance with Monarchists and
consequent risk of Christian Democrat
Party split.
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SECRET