OCR
Because the question is not only the fight against the reborm . Opposition, but also ge latent conflict within the ruling Chriéstian Democratic Party. The difficulties in the ruling party are concentrated on two issues t the suecession of de Gasperi and the issue of the position of Minister of Interior Mario Scelba. On the first issue the interest is growing since the aging de Gesperir has broadly hinted, that he does nor intend to stay in office very ions any more, Whether this is just tacties, ae this ob= server would be inelined to believe, or whether it is really 66. the fact is that the Party lesdership started on a sear. There are severel potential successors, but all of them have something to be said against them ¢ President of the Parliament Gronehd is to much of e left winger, end there are other non-political reasons against him § Member of Parliament De Martino as well as Gedde would be both personally and otherwise acceptable, but they both are to meh to the right and obviously Monarchists, so thet the tiny out vocal left would protest; finance Minister — Pella, the favourite of President Einaudi, is not popular enough, So the party leadership, in search for a man who would get the Minimum opposition, selected Deputy Prime Minister Piccioni, former Secretary General of the Party. A true Middle of the rosde he is everything to everybody, end nothing in perticular te anyone. in facet the boom for his selection started already in July when the Party leedership organized a iarge Banquet for their se lected future men, But here they had acted without consulting de Gasperi, who came back at them with a vengeance t in a a. speach in La Verna he suddenly said decisively friendly things about short, dynetic and ambitious Winister of Agriculture Fatifani., Obviously, in these words, he had appointed him as híg Crown Prince, and ever since has shown himself in decisive acea= sions with Fenfeni at his side. On the other hand the friends of Plecitoni, and they ere still in control of the party, have not disarmed, and so the fight is on, As to the issue of Scelba, it 19 quite simples Scelba was the man of the Anti-Fascist laws, Now many Demochristianis feel, th,t efter the coming elections. it will be necessary to come to a sort of understanding with the right, if cne wants to stem the rising tide of Communism. In much an understanding, Scelba would be a grave stumbling block, and the friends of an understanding with the right argue, that he should be replaced even now, in order to open the contacts even before the elections. The argument is, that one could gat better conditions now than after the elections, since the right is st4ll weak, while ít will be to cocky after getting in their votes. _ In this connection it is interesting to note, that those who want to remove Seelba are his own friends, since he belongs to the right wing of the party. In the opposition the most powerful and dangerous group is still the Conmunist Party, with its brilliant leader ie | NG.