AHC: Save the Italian monarchy

Why was the monarchy so much more popular in the south? It seems ironic the Savoy monarchy would be popular in the former Two Sicilies, which was essentially conquered by Sardinia-Piedmont and was treated almost like colonial territory by the Kingdom of Italy.
 
Why was the monarchy so much more popular in the south? It seems ironic the Savoy monarchy would be popular in the former Two Sicilies, which was essentially conquered by Sardinia-Piedmont and was treated almost like colonial territory by the Kingdom of Italy.

I think that South is more conservative than North. And Two Sicilies was already dead state over 80 years. No one didn't remember that anymore.
 
Why was the monarchy so much more popular in the south? It seems ironic the Savoy monarchy would be popular in the former Two Sicilies, which was essentially conquered by Sardinia-Piedmont and was treated almost like colonial territory by the Kingdom of Italy.

The monarchy of the Two Sicilies never seemed to be quite popular to begin with. Look at how quickly Garibaldi's outnumbered guerrillas conquered it in 1860.
 
"The turnover of a few thousand votes here and there" will overcome a two million vote majority?! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_Italian_institutional_referendum And as that article notes, monarchists were never able to prove fraud, whatever their suspicions. (Such accusations, after all, n were common among losing parties in Italian elections.)

When one considers the large vote given for clearly pro-Republic parties--the Communists, Socialists, Action Party, Republican party, etc.--and considers that "On 25 April, at the congress of Democrazia Cristiana, Attilio Piccioni revealed that, after an internal investigation, the opinion of the members of the party was 60% in favour of the republic, 17% in favour of the monarchy, and 23% undecided" (ibid.) I would say that if anything the monarchists did a little bit better than one might have expected. Obviously the DC's voters were more monarchist than its cadres, but not nearly enough so to save the monarchy.

Lets posit a full blown civil war between communists and anti-communists either in Greece or preferably Yugoslavia from late 1945. (Technically the Greek civil war begun in 31st March 1946 but was rather low key for most of 1946) How much does it affect anti-communist fear and hence pro-monarchy attitudes within Italy? After all the sole thing to save the Greek monarchy in he post war referendum was the republican block being split by fear of the communists with large number of republicans voting for the monarchy in addition to the communists boycotting it.
 
Lets posit a full blown civil war between communists and anti-communists either in Greece or preferably Yugoslavia from late 1945. (Technically the Greek civil war begun in 31st March 1946 but was rather low key for most of 1946) How much does it affect anti-communist fear and hence pro-monarchy attitudes within Italy? After all the sole thing to save the Greek monarchy in he post war referendum was the republican block being split by fear of the communists with large number of republicans voting for the monarchy in addition to the communists boycotting it.

A war in Greece won't change much. A war in Yugoslavia would have huge implications as far as the eastern border question, though, so it will definitely have an impact.
 
Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring is, due to [REASONS] or simply not being in post, unable to carry the argument to defend the whole of Italy with Hitler siding with Jodl and Rommel and ordering German forces to withdraw to northern Italy behind defences similar to our timeline's Gothic Line. With Mussolini having been removed from power Victor Emmanuel decides to follow through on swapping sides, sending Umberto away from the capital for safety whilst remaining in place. After the Italian surrender and declaration of war against Germany Victor Emmanuel takes a step back with Umberto being emphasised in propaganda as main face of the royal house and commander of the co-belligerent armed forces. Shortly after Allied forces liberate the last main areas of northern Italy Victor Emmanuel abdicates with Umberto II, in consideration of wartime conditions, being crowned in a very restrained coronation. Might that be enough to turn a sufficient number votes, I notice that there were nearly one and a half million blank/invalid ballots cast, or get people to come out and vote to see them eek out a narrow victory?
 
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