ITALY: VOTERS GO TO POLLS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS FOUGHT ON NATIONAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES

Record ID: 328507

  • Title: ITALY: VOTERS GO TO POLLS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS FOUGHT ON NATIONAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES
  • Date: 12th June 1966
  • Summary: 1. GV STREET SCENE WITH ELECTION POSTER & PROPAGANDA VAN 0.05 2. GV SOCIALIST PARTY PUBLICITY HOARDING 0.08 3. LV & SV ANOTHER PARTY DISPLAY 0.13 4. GV PUBLICITY HOARDINGS 0.16 5. GV PAN. CROWD AT MEETING 0.23 6. LS SPEAKER 0.25 7. CU DITTO 0.28 8. MV PICKETS WITH PLACARDS PAN TO GV CROWD 0.31 9. CU SPEAKER PAN TO CROWD 0.37 10. SV VOTERS ENTERING POLLING STATION 0.38 11. GV PAN. INT. NUNS VOTING 0.44 12. MV NUN VOTING 0.47 13. SV BLIND MAN LED IN TO VOTE 0.52 14. CS ABOVE MAN VOTES 1.00 15. MS WOMAN VOTING 1.04 16. GV STREET SCENE 1.08 Initials GEM/V/BHH/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th June 1966 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA1T2DX1QVMB47DKBONT4VTHBPE
  • Story Text: ITALIANS WENT TO THE POLLS TODAY (SUNDAY) IN PARTIAL LOCAL ELECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUGHT ALMOST ENTIRELY ON NATIONAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. THE VOTING WAS THE FIRST TEST OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THE COALITION GOVERNMENT LED INTO OFFICE LAST FEBRUARY BY SIGNOR ALDO MORO.

    THE PERCENTAGE OF THE FIVE MILLION ITALIANS ENTITLED TO VOTE WHO ACTUALLY TURNED OUT IS EXPECTED TO BE LOW. A HEAT WAVE SENT THEM OUT OF THE TOWNS, AND THEY DIDN'T START ARRIVING AT THE POLLING BOOTHS UNTIL AFTER SUNDOWN.

    THE ELECTIONS WERE FOR DISTRICT OR CITY COUNCILS. BUT LOCAL ISSUES WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY IGNORED. MASSES OF POSTERS, PLACARDS AND LEAFLETS AND SPEAKERS AT ELECTION MEETINGS DWELT ON SIGNOR MORO'S RECORD IN THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

    IN ROME, THE COMMUNISTS ARE FIGHTING HARD AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS TO BECOME THE MAJORITY PARTY IN THE CITY THAT IS THE SPIRITUAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD'S ROMAN CATHOLICS. BEFORE THE ELECTIONS THEY HELD 19 SEATS AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS' 24.

    CATHOLIC LEADERS HAVE REPEATEDLY TOLD THEIR FOLLOWERS TO HAVE NO DEALINGS WITH THE COMMUNISTS, AND THIS WEEK CARDINAL OTTAVIANI REMINDED THE FAITHFUL THAT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO VOTE FOR THEM.

    POLLING WILL CONTINUE TOMORROW (MONDAY) AND RESULTS ARE EXPECTED BY TUESDAY.

    SYNOPSIS LOCAL ELECTIONS IN ITALY ARE PROVIDING THE FIRST TEST OF PUBLIC OPINION ON SIGNOR ALDO MORO AND THE COALITION GOVERNMENT HE LED INTO OFFICE LAST FEBRUARY. NEARLY FIVE MILLION ITALIANS HAVE A VOICE IN THE ELECTION OF CITY AND DISTRICT COUNCILS.

    BUT THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN, THE MASSES OF POSTERS, PLACARDS AND LEAFLETS, AND SPEAKERS AT POLITICAL MEETINGS, HAVE ALMOST ENTIRELY IGNORED LOCAL ISSUES. THEY HAVE CONCENTRATED INSTEAD ON NATIONAL AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES AND SIGNOR MORO'S HANDLING OF THEM.

    AT THE HEART OF ROMAN CATHOLICISM, THE COMMUNIST PARTY HAS FOUGHT HARD TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE ROME CITY COUNCIL FROM THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS. CHURCH LEADERS HAVE OFTEN TOLD THEIR FOLLOWERS NOT TO HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THE COMMUNISTS, AND JUST BEFORE THE ELECTIONS A PROMINENT CARDINAL REMINDED THE FAITHFUL THAT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO VOTE FOR THEM.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register