The result of the Italian elections is that in the
Chamber there will be together 374 Fascisti, 65 Socialists and Communists, 40 Giolittian Democrats, 17 Social Demo- crats, and 39 " other parties." The total number of members is 535. The Fascists got just under two-thirds of the votes cast, and have obtained just over two- thirds of the representation. Hence the curious system under which the elections took place has not worked out in essentials at all unfairly. It will be recalled that the whole of Italy is regarded as one huge constituency, to which each party submitted a complete list of candidates. Thus the voting was not primarily for individuals, but for the Fascist or Democrat or Socialist list. The advan- tage of this provision is, of course, that it eliminates, or is intended to eliminate, local jobbery. The second important provision is that any party which secures more votes than any other single party is automatically entitled to two-thirds of the seats in the Chamber, while the remaining one-third is divided amongst the other parties proportionately to the number of votes cast for them. The immediate object of this scheme was, of course, to keep the Fascisti in power, but we need not discount entirely its avowed object—that of providing Italy with a strong government of no matter what complexion. * * * *
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