INTRODUCTION

On August 11, 1976, the Italian Communist Party (PCI) decided to abstain in the vote of confidence for the third Andreotti cabinet – a monocolore (single-party cabinet) of the Christian Democracy (DC) – thereby making possible the formation of the first government with Communist support since May 1947. This event took place a few weeks after the parliamentary elections (June 20), in which the party had gained a very significant electoral success (Table 6.1). In July 1977, after weeks of negotiations, the PCI signed an agreement for a “common policy program” with the DC, the Socialist Party (PSI), the Social Democratic Party (PSDI), the Republican Party (PRI), and the Liberal Party (PLI). In March 1978, the fourth Andreotti cabinet marked the official participation of the PCI in the parliamentary majority supporting the cabinet – again, a DC monocolore – along with DC, PSI, PSDI, and PRI. In January 1979 the PCI withdrew its support from Andreotti, forcing the cabinet to resign. A tripartite cabinet (DC-PRI-PSDI) – Andreotti's fifth – was formed with the PCI in opposition. The PCI has never again been in office.

This is, in brief, the history of the so-called governments of national solidarity. What makes this an interesting case of trade-offs between party goals is that the PCI until 1976 had constantly reaped the electoral benefits of being in opposition; yet, as it shifted from opposition to office, it immediately lost votes and continued to lose them until 1994 (Figure 6.1).