Right cripples centre- left

GIULIO ANDREOTTI, the right-wing Christian Democrat entrusted by President Saragat with forming a new centre-left government has passed the buck back to Saragat.

His defeat follows the refusal of the Social Democrats to continue discussions except on the basis that the Socialists will cease all collaboration with the Communist Party at regional and local level.

Saragat must now decide whether to call fresh elections —desired by no one except the fascists-or find another coalition-maker, and give him a more open mandate.

Gamble

Their reactionary gamble placed President Saragat's party, for a long time the political home of the worst professional anti-communists, in the lead of the drive to produce a thoroughly anti-working-class and anti-union cabinet.

According to all the precedents Andreotti should immediately have relinquished his mandate.

But he continued discussions, seeing. _CarlinItaly and of the Bank of others concerned in the economic crisis.

He was also backed by a statement from the Christian Democratic National Executive, though a group of right wingers the Party have demanded that he give up.

The other prospective coalitionists, Socialists and Republicans, blandly dismissed the Social Democrats statement and expressed their willingness to continue with the talks.

Charade

In all probability what was arranged was a vast political charade.

It is now clear that centre-left discussions can continue only on the basis that the right-wing Socialists can swing the party to meet the Social Democrats' demands for the political isolation of the Certainly all sections of the Party are ravenous for office, but equally they fear the electoral consequences breaking the regional coalitions and sinking themselves completely in a government whose main task will be to discipline the working class.

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