HC Deb 25 July 1951 vol 491 cc454-5
20. Mr. Hopkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why the electoral law providing for party alliances adopted in Italy is not to be applied in the forthcoming municipal elections in the Anglo-American zone of Trieste.

Mr. Ernest Davies

The Zone Commander decided, after very careful study of the issues involved, that the former Italian Electoral Law of 1946, which, with certain modifications, was successfully applied in the Trieste elections of 1949, should again be applied this year. He considered the former law more suitable in view of the special conditions prevailing in Zone A.

Mr. Hopkinson

Is it not the practice in the Anglo-American zone of Trieste to apply Italian law wherever that can possibly be done, and may not the failure to apply this law have some very unfortunate result in the elections, notably in the election of a large number of Communists?

Mr. Davies

The application of Italian law is entirely within the decision of the Zone Commander. It was considered by him that the application of the new Italian law would prejudice certain minorities in the Zone which we considered it our duty to protect.