Poliittinen muutos Rooman periferiassa

Authors

• Pertti Hynynen

Abstract

The old political system broke down in Italy at the beginning of the 1990’s. The old ruling Christian Democratic party DC was challenged because of its involvement in the political and financial scandals (tangentopoli). The traditional opposition parties, communist PCI and neo-Fascist MSI, got new political opportunities. But the political vacuum was occupied also by the mediamagnate Silvio Berlusconi with his interests. This upheaval can be seen cöearly at the local level in Rome and especially in the north-eastern district of Montesacro. Political developments are studied with the results of the communal and district elections in 1993, 1997 and 2001. They will reveal the contradictory nature of the changes in Italian constitutional and electoral systems. The traditionally strong political cultures – communist and neo-Fascist – have transformed their old identities and are competing at the district level with the successors of the old DC.