ABSTRACT
Italian postwar politics has been dominated by the issues generated by the traditional regional, religious-secular and socio-economic class cleavages which reflect the country's historical experience of nation building and political modernisation. The new Green party was undoubtedly assisted by Italy's gathering political crisis in its efforts to represent a distinctive issue agenda, as the old party system collapsed under the weight of inefficiency and endemic corruption. The new party format was hardly greeted with unqualified enthusiasm throughout the green movement. Likewise, local green lists which felt able to endorse the party statutes were permitted to join the Federation, after approval by the national coordinating group and a delegate Conference. The ensuing political change meant that the Greens were able to build an electoral base not dissimilar to that of Green parties throughout western Europe. It was hardly surprising that the greens chose to make their first foray into electoral politics on the European rather than the national stage.
