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ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES EUI Working Papers RSCAS 2011/57 ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES EUDO - European Union Democracy Observatory FOUR FUNERALS AND A PARTY? THE POLITICAL REPERTOIRE OF THE ITALIAN RADICALS Claudio M. Radaelli and Samuele Dossi EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE, FLORENCE ROBERT SCHUMAN CENTRE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES EUDO - EUROPEAN UNION DEMOCRACY OBSERVATORY Four Funerals and a Party? The Political Repertoire of the Italian Radicals CLAUDIO M. RADAELLI AND SAMUELE DOSSI EUI Working Paper RSCAS 2011/57 This text may be downloaded only for personal research purposes. Additional reproduction for other purposes, whether in hard copies or electronically, requires the consent of the author(s), editor(s). If cited or quoted, reference should be made to the full name of the author(s), editor(s), the title, the working paper, or other series, the year and the publisher. ISSN 1028-3625 © 2011 Claudio M. Radaelli and Samuele Dossi Printed in Italy, November 2011 European University Institute Badia Fiesolana I – 50014 San Domenico di Fiesole (FI) Italy www.eui.eu/RSCAS/Publications/ www.eui.eu cadmus.eui.eu Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies The Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS), created in 1992 and directed by Stefano Bartolini since September 2006, aims to develop inter-disciplinary and comparative research and to promote work on the major issues facing the process of integration and European society. The Centre is home to a large post-doctoral programme and hosts major research programmes and projects, and a range of working groups and ad hoc initiatives. The research agenda is organised around a set of core themes and is continuously evolving, reflecting the changing agenda of European integration and the expanding membership of the European Union. 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For further information: www.eudo.eu Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies European University Institute Via delle Fontanelle 19 50014 San Domenico di Fiesole Firenze, Italy [email protected] Abstract The transformations brought about by changing patterns of representation, the role of the media in politics, and processes of Europeanization and globalization have challenged the political parties of the West-European Left - and Italy is no exception to this trend. At the policy level, the four transformations have constrained the classic repertoire of the left. At the level of identities, they have pushed some parties to re-invent their core beliefs and re-shuffle their electoral strongholds, whilst other less successful parties have practically withered away. By contrast, right-wing and neo-populist parties have benefited from these four historical trends. These changes are somewhat congenial to them. For Left-wing parties, however, these changing patterns have led to ‘funerals’ of traditional practices and repertoires. In this article we look at the political repertoire of the Radical Party - established as Partito Radicale in 1955 in Italy and known today as Non-violent, Transparty, Transnational Radical Party. The Radicals have been able to theorize and approach the four challenges quite pro-actively, possibly because most of these transformations were already in their genetic code. The party, grounded in political liberalism, has produced a repertoire embracing global Gandhian transnational action on human rights, anti-militarism, sustainability and the fight against prohibitionist policies; a libertarian approach to scientific ‘disorganization’ of the classic party apparatus; and a notion of federalism grounded in the critique of the state as institution detrimental to liberties and welfare. We illustrate this original political repertoire and appraise its achievements. We finally critically discuss the repertoire in the broader context of Italian and European politics. Keywords Political parties, non-violence, liberalism, Italian Radical Party, Europeanization 1. Introduction* The transformations brought about by changing patterns of representation, the role of the media in politics, and processes of Europeanization and globalization have challenged political parties. In Western Europe and specifically in Italy, left-wing parties have addressed these four transformations with variable degrees of success. Some parties have withered away. Others have literally re-invented themselves. Amidst failure, adaptations and some successes, the process of change has been hard and painful for the left-wing parties. At the organizational level, the transformations have reduced participatory linkages and have mutated major parties into a component of the state apparatus. At the policy level, the changes have constrained the classic menu of the left-wing, both when in government and in opposition. At the level of identities, they have pushed some parties to modify their core beliefs and alter the electoral base. Right-wing and neo-populist parties have been advantaged by these four historical trends, whilst for the Left they have led to ‘funerals’ of traditional practices and identities. In this article we look at the political repertoire of the Radical Party - established as Partito Radicale in 1955 and known today as Nonviolent, Transparty, Transnational Radical Party (www.radicalparty.org). A repertoire is a constellation of political beliefs, organizational choices and strategy. A political repertoire can be discussed in relation to evidence (that is, whether the analysis put forward by a party stands up to social science knowledge) and its internal coherence – this enables us to show whether values reverberate into organizational choice and if the strategy is coherent and mirrors the core beliefs. The Radicals have been able to theorize and approach the four challenges quite pro-actively, possibly because most of these transformations were already in their genetic code and political tradition. Scholars of new political movements, the 'new left', and the so-called third way have already pointed to examples of political repertoires that address limited aspects of the changes. But it is most unusual for a party of the left arising out of political liberalism to master a repertoire like the one we are about to describe and evaluate. We illustrate this relatively unique political repertoire, appraise its results (not simply electorally, for reasons that will be clarified in the remainder of the article), and discuss its legacy both for Italian and European-global politics. We first present the four transformations concisely. Next we look at the thrust of the political analysis suggested by the Radical Party, focusing on their assessment of Italian political development. We then move to the repertoire of the party, examining how it has addressed the four changes in representation, the political role of the media, Europeanization, and globalization. Finally, we discuss and conclude. One qualification is in order. In describing the repertoire, we have sought to take the ideas, beliefs and documents provided by the Radical Party in a truthful and respectful way. Our aim in the empirical sections is to describe and explain the Party and its repertoire, not to endorse or criticize it. Our appraisal will be introduced after we lay out the evidence. This way, we hope, it will be easier to distinguish between evidence and interpretation. We will show that although the Radical Party’s repertoire looks prima facie irrational in terms of our classic propositions on the behaviour of parties (Katz and Mair, 1994), there is coherence and some degree of effectiveness * This paper arises out of a research project carried out at the Centre for European Governance, University of Exeter. We are grateful to Gabriella Fanello of Radio

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