Italys Communists grapple with political realities

Neoliberal arguments go like this: the only way to save Italys economy is the destruction of the state as a guarantor of living standards for the Italian people; the best foreign policy is to support the Bush administration, including in Iraq and Afghanistan; and the Italian constitution, with its rights and liberties in social as well as political matters, is expendable.

Media magnate and billionaire Berlusconi, the leader of this neoliberal and ultra-right movement, has been under investigation for corruption.

Although it lost its grip on the Parliament, the ultra-right has not given up its drive to regain political power. Backed by the Bush administration, the Vatican and the powerful employer association, Berlusconis forces played a critical role in mobilizing a no-confidence vote that brought down the center-left government temporarily.