Read those and you’ll understand what Boffa was up against, why Strickland and the PN formed the coalitions necessary to keep him from power and how KMB was amongst the leaders of the ‘Umbrella’ to counteract their doctrine. Because that’s what it was.

Panza’s tomes to the parallel sequence in Italy may help. Communism in the fifties was Stalinism, rather enticing.

Must be those blessed Balluta Buildings.

The survey surely wasn’t done on the 4th of May.

A week is a long time in politics.

Now everyone is waiting for Joey Tremors to announce the Big One.

Daphne, you are very right. Italy is a corrupt, stagnant and expensive country with a complex historical background which prevents it from functioning as a full-fledged republic. It does not exactly splash on social welfare programmes and many are living in complete misery, at least, by European standards.

[Daphne – Hardly. What do you do with 80 euros? Fill up your car-tank and drive by McDonald’s to buy a couple of burgers with the change?]