ABSTRACT
In April 1996 Forza Italia (fi), or more precisely the Polo per le Liberta, of which it was the largest part, was defeated in the parliamentary elections. The elections dominated the year: fi spent most of January and February trying to avoid them; next came a bitter campaign and a mixed result, creditable for fi but disappointing for the Polo per le Liberta. In 1994 voters who wanted to be rid of the over-worked, over-intrusive state could identify with fi, which declared that it would both rein in the state and improve public services by introducing private-sector efficiency. In 1995 there was a debate within fi about strategy, but the contradiction of identity did not surface until the end of the Lamberto Dini government. The new fi is to have five levels: national, regional, provincial or city, electoral constituency and village.
