- Title: SAN MARINO: EMIGRANTS RETURN HOME TO VOTE IN GENERAL ELECTIONS.
- Date: 31st May 1978
- Summary: 1. GV PAN San Marino 0.08 2. GV & SV Tourists looking at sights and buying mementos (4 shots) 0.27 3. CU Democratic posters 0.34 4. CU Communist poster on car 0.40 5. GV Voting posters 0.40 6. SV Communist Party leader Umberto Barulli casting vote 0.51 7. CU Polling booth 0.54 8. SV Regents shaking hands after voting 1.07 9. SV Polling officials at table 1.10 10. SV & CU Polling box being opened for count (4 shots) 1.36 During campaigning before the elections, the Socialists accused Foreign Affairs Minister Giancarlo Ghironzi is taking two million lire a month from the Government payroll in addition to his salary entitlement. The Communist, who ruled for 12 years after the Second World War until being ousted in a bloodless coup, have demanded an investigation. San Marino claims to be not only the smallest, but also the oldest republic in the world, and traces its origins to a community founded on Mount Titanus by a victim of Diocletian's persecution 16 centuries ago. Initials BB/1920 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th June 1978 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAN MARINO
- Country: San Marino
- Reuters ID: LVAAZ4K8X1RL3WRAHKM6RP13QCI
- Story Text: General elections in San Marino -- the world's smallest republic -- have failed to resolve political deadlock there. The elections were called a year early after the Socialist Party decided last December to withdraw its support for the Christian Democrats who have ruled San Marino for a 21 years. Both the Socialists and Communists then failed to form a new administration, forcing the early elections, held last Sunday (28 May). The Christian Democrats gained one seat in the voting to give them 26 of the 60 seats. but the Communists retained their 16 seats and these coupled with the 15 held by the two Socialist parties gave the Left a continued overall majority. As a result, both sides are claiming victory.
SYNOPSIS: San Marino, a tiny mountain state near Rimini on Italy's northern Adriatic coast, has nearly 12,500 resident electors. They were joined last week by emigrants returning home from the United States, France and Italy. Just over 7,000 emigrants were eligible to vote and were encouraged to return by the Christian Democrats who paid the train fares home for those San Marinesi living in Italy.
"Keep out the Left" urged the Christian Democrat posters. Their Communist opponents, however, accused the Government of corruption and promised "clean government" with a return to self - sufficiency. The Communist argue that San Marino needs to turn away from tourism and back to farming and cottage industries. Party
eader Umberto Barulli, seen here casting his vote, says the republic can no longer live as a parasite on Italy.
In view of the inconclusive election result, San Marino's two Captains-Regems, the twin Heads of State, are expected to ask the Christian Democrats to form a Cabinet. The Communist have offered to come to an agreement with the Government, but to date this has been refused, and observers believe the leading party will find it difficult to pull together a new parliamentary base.
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