After 1 ,995 Years

For the first time since Caesar crossed the Rubicon, in 49 B. C., the Italian peninsula was a republic. In their first free national election in a quarter century, 24 million men and women (these voting for the first time) decided five-to-four against continuing the monarchy. Simultaneously, they took a stand beside their French cousins (TIME, June 10) for Western democracy and against the advance of Soviet Communism.

Premier Alcide de Gasperi's Christian Democratic party--like France's M.R.P. a champion of reform without revolution --overwhelmed its leftist rivals; it drew over 8,000,000 votes, almost double those given either the Communists or the Socialists. De Gasperi would almost certainly be the new government's prime minister.

Carmine & Scarlet. The campaign had been frenzied, but on voting day there was little trouble for the 70,000 carabinieri and crack police mobilized to keep order. Near the Vatican young Communists wearing scarlet neckerchiefs eyed with composure the carmine sash of 95-year-old Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte, dean of the College of Cardinals, as he cast his vote. King Umberto, after long discussions with his advisers, decided to vote. Queen Marie-Jose had to wait in line for half an hour.

The results, announced several days after the vote, also were accepted calmly (with the exception of minor monarchist outbreaks at Naples, Rome and Palermo). The Christian Democrats had won 207 seats in the 559-deputy assembly. They and lesser parties, their probable allies, could expect to control 275 seats. The Socialists got 116, the Communists 107.

The chances of Socialist-Communist collaboration diminished; rather, it was likely that when the assembly met a week hence, the Socialists would line up with the Christian Democrats to expedite drafting of a constitution.

Ave & Vale. At week's end, Umberto II--called the king of the May because he reigned only during that month--let it be known he would not attend the ceremonies inaugurating the First Italian Republic. His advisers, mostly Roman aristocrats, had polled their servants and country retainers, naively informed him "the common people" wanted their king. When he found out differently, Umberto, surprised and pained, lingered on in Rome in the hope that monarchist demonstrations would grow into a popular demand that he keep the crown. But his Queen Marie-Jose and their four children had already left for Lisbon.

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