PdAC statement on the resignation of Romano Prodi

On 17 February, an important demonstration was held in Vicenza (Italy) against the NATO military base situated in that city and the policy of support for the imperialist wars on behalf of the Prodi administration (Italy has 2 000 soldiers in Afghanistan and Italian troops are one of the main components of the blue helmets in Lebanon.) Over 100 000 people from different places in Italy took part and there was a wide echo of it in the national and international press. PdAC (Communist Alternative Party) participated very actively and one of its leaders, Patricia Cammerata, delivered on of the three closing addresses.

One of the first repercussions of this demonstration was the negative vote in the senate for the foreign policy proposed by Prodi, for some of the “left-winger” senators of the ruling coalition voted nay. This started an institutional mini-crisis for Prodi resigned as Prime Minister. And yet, due to the specific features of Italian political system, the president of the country may dismiss the resignation or even Prodi may be required to constitute the next government. Many of the “critical” senators have already declared that in either case, they would give him their support.

Next we have the statement emitted by PdAC on the resignation of Prodi.

Out with the two pillars of the war!

For a workers’ alternative

The “incident” of numbers on which the Prodi administration slipped in the Senate does not modify the political outlook. This administration, of wars and preying, must go, but not to make room for a centre-right government, but for an alternative of the workers.

The two pillars taking their turns are not much different from each other in either economic policy or international issues. They must all go! It is necessary to repeat over and over again the demands expressed during the great demonstration in Vicenza and start preparing a general strike against the policy based on war and shared by the centre left and centre right, and for a workers’ government. The Communist Alternative Party (PdAC) has addressed all the parties of the so-called “government left” (Communist Re-foundation, PdCI, and the Green) to spit away from the coalition that wants war and demands sacrifice from the workers.

With their opposite vote in the Senate, the “government left”, Re-foundation at the top of the list, have revealed all their hypocrisy, presenting as “result” the commitment of D’Alema for an imaginary “peace conference” while Italian troops are financed in Afghanistan and the will to maintain the base in Vicenza is confirmed.

A few days after the extraordinary demonstration in Vicenza, the very same leaders and members of parliament, who had been marching to be regarded as spokespersons of the petitions of the demonstrators, back in the parliament revealed their real role: they are in the movements to try and subordinate them to the Prodi administration, an administration that finances the war and reduces the old-age pensions to defend the interests of Italian capitalism.

The capitulation of those regarded as “critical sectors” from Communist Re-foundation and the  “rebellious” members of parliament was no less shameful. Ernesto’s sector was definitely dissolved in the Bertinottian majority.[1] All its senators (including Giannini) voted for the imperialist policy. As for the Erre-Left Critical[2], the effort not to disturb Re-foundation or the administration (an effort that was a flop due to some unforeseen votes) Turiggliatto vanished from the senate in a re-edition of “no adherent, no saboteur”. Faced with such turning point (where the leaders of CPR stand out) triggered due to the alleged crime of damage to the Prodi government,” they kept on saying “we are ready to vote even tomorrow our trust in the Prodi administration”. The truth is that it is all about building, in the streets as well as in the Parliament, the opposition to the government and its policy, in the name of the workers’ rights and of the people who demonstrated in Vicenza.

Consequently our, as the former left of the Re-foundation, has been confirmed as split from the party led by Bertinotti and Giordano. The new party we founded a few weeks ago has always been side by side with those who demonstrated in Vicenza on 17 February, and that is where we shall sty. It is no coincidence that Patricia Cammarata, a leader of our party and spokeswoman for the Vicenza committee, has delivered that day one of the three closing addresses of the demonstration. PdAC has been participating since the first day of that struggle and will continue, in Vicenza and all over the country, pushing with all our militant strength for the forthcoming demonstrations.

We tell those who demonstrated on the 17^th and are militants of the parties that have betrayed in the Senate the demonstration of the 17^th: break away from this “government left” for they will not break with the government of the war and come with us to participate in the construction of a new fighting party, a real communist party.

Central Committee

Party of the Communist Alternative