Italy's Christian Democrats and European Integration

Abstract

T nhe Italian Christian Democratic Party (Democrazia Cristiana, DC) has regularly polled about two-fifths of the votes cast at general elections since the war; it has presided over, and played the dominant role in all Italy's coalitioin governments since then. The twin pillars of the DC's foreign policy have been the Atlantic Alliance and European integration, and the purpose of this article is to examine the party's contribution to the building and strengthening of the second of these pillars. Why has the DC been so enthusiastic about European integration? What has it contributed to the process of integration? Above all, why have its deeds so frequently failed to match up to its words in this key area of its foreign policy? But, first it is necessary to comment briefly on the foreign policy options which have been open to Italy, and especially on the internal and external factors which have constrained all Italian governments-and a fortiori the DC-in their formulation and implementation of foreign policy.