The Italian Communists Divide—and Do Not Conquer

Reviewing the prospects of the Partito democratico della sinistra (PDS) in the autumn of 1991, Stephen Hellman found them "not promising." ¹ Conversely, Rifondazione comunista (RC) was stronger than one might have expected—and than Achille Occhetto might have hoped—when it broke away from the main body of the party at the Rimini Congress. The results of the April elections confirm both judgements: the PDS won 16.1 percent, although Occhetto had spoken of 18 percent and even 20 percent, while RC reached 5.6 percent.