For Lack of Courage- No Mani Pulite

As most know, this is when the CD's and Socialists evaporated in Italy in the early 90's. Why? Heroic judges unearthed decades-old ties between both parties and the Mafia, as well as numerous more mundane political scandals. This led to "Berlusconi or Communism", and his subsequent installation as defacto PM-for-Life. Let's say some pols decide to use Marcos-style extrajudicial powers to eliminate these heroes. As the Mob did themselves, with some cities resembling Civil War-era Beirut, and numerous assassinations of politicians and judges. Would it surface eventually, and how would the scene change? Would Berlusconi lead the CD's to the right?
 
As most know, this is when the CD's and Socialists evaporated in Italy in the early 90's. Why? Heroic judges unearthed decades-old ties between both parties and the Mafia, as well as numerous more mundane political scandals. This led to "Berlusconi or Communism", and his subsequent installation as defacto PM-for-Life. Let's say some pols decide to use Marcos-style extrajudicial powers to eliminate these heroes. As the Mob did themselves, with some cities resembling Civil War-era Beirut, and numerous assassinations of politicians and judges. Would it surface eventually, and how would the scene change? Would Berlusconi lead the CD's to the right?

Not at all !

Tangentopoli wasn't -mainly- about Mafia : focus was on bribes on local levels, with enquiries moving further to the top as time passed.

Without Tangentopoli (which didn't require a civil war not to happen, it would have been enough that Mario Chiesa, the first socialist convicted for corruption charges, stayed silent, as did the post-communist Primo Greganti, with the Party providing for his post-imprisonment financial conditions) ... well, things would have been WILDLY different.
The Socialist Party may have annexed bot the smaller Socialdemocrats and the post-communist Party of the Democratic Left, thus rivaling in numbers the Christian Democrats. We would probably see a further growth of both the Northern League and Orlando's Web (La Rete), protesting against CD's corruption.
BTW, Berlusconi at the time was closer to the Socialist Party (yes, we created a monster :D): however, if the system stay strong, he wouldn't enter politics.
 
How long could it remain under wraps? Andreotti, as the final CD PM, tried to pull off the equivalent of Nixon pardoning himself in Aug. 1974. Fortunately the Pres. had a shred of decency and didn't approve it. It seems that on the local level, not much has changed on corruption except the political domination of the incumbent PM.
 
How long could it remain under wraps? Andreotti, as the final CD PM, tried to pull off the equivalent of Nixon pardoning himself in Aug. 1974. Fortunately the Pres. had a shred of decency and didn't approve it. It seems that on the local level, not much has changed on corruption except the political domination of the incumbent PM.

Without Tangentopoli, we would probably see Andreotti as the next President of the Republic : this could well trigger a split from the CD as Segni Reform People's Party allies with Republicans ... it would be an ... interesting period !

If you want, we may try a timeline ! ;)
 
Unfortunately, I know little of Italian politics, somewhat more about the cucina. ;) Would this be a period of Israeli-style coalitions? Where the main coalition parties are blocs in themselves (ex Likud). Perhaps a move towards FPTP and electoral sanity? Could the CD's team up with the Republicans and form a new conservative party, perhaps the "Christian Republicans"? I'd be very interested in doing a collaborative TL.
 
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