Former Italian Communist Leader Reveals Attempt to Isolate Him with Gorbachev‘s Help
Rome, Italy – May 11, 2024 – Achille Occhetto, who served as the final Secretary of the Italian Communist Party (PCI) before it’s dissolution, has revealed a previously unknown attempt by three of his party’s leading figures to seek Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s intervention to effectively ostracize him. Occhetto claims these leaders wanted Gorbachev to publicly denounce him, but the Soviet leader refused their request. The disclosure,made public today,sheds new light on the internal struggles within the PCI during its final years and the complex relationship between the Italian party and Moscow as the Soviet Union neared its collapse.
The alleged plot unfolded during a critical period for the PCI, as the party grappled with the implications of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the shifting political landscape in Eastern Europe.Occhetto, who led the PCI from 1988 to 1991, initiated a transformative process that ultimately led to the party’s disbandment and the formation of new political forces in Italy. This move,while intended to modernize the party,provoked strong opposition from within its ranks,culminating in the reported attempt to enlist Gorbachev’s support to undermine his leadership. The revelation underscores the deep divisions within the PCI regarding its future direction and the extent to which hardliners sought to preserve the party’s traditional ideological alignment with Moscow.
According to Occhetto, the three PCI leaders-whose names he did not disclose-approached Gorbachev directly, requesting he publicly disavow Occhetto’s policies. He stated Gorbachev declined, recognizing the internal dynamics of the PCI and the potential damage such intervention could cause. The incident, occurring in 1989-1990, highlights the waning influence of the Soviet Union over its European communist allies during this period, as Gorbachev pursued a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other socialist countries.
The italian Communist Party, founded in 1921, had been a major force in Italian politics for decades, particularly after World War II. however, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the changing political climate in Italy led to a crisis of identity for the PCI.Occhetto’s decision to dissolve the party in 1991 and establish the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) marked a significant turning point in Italian political history, paving the way for a new generation of centre-left political forces.
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