Berlinguer, Enrico

Berlinguer, Enrico ənrēkō bûr´lĭngûr [key], 1922–84, Italian political leader. Born into a wealthy yet politically radical family, Berlinguer joined the Communist party in 1943 and eventually became its secretary-general (1972–84). He advocated a moderate form of Communism, was a leading advocate of the Eurocommunist movement of the mid-1970s, and proposed a historic compromise: an alliance between the Roman Catholics and the Communists. In the 1976 parliamentary elections his party won 36% of the vote. He was instrumental in supporting the coalition government of Giulio Andreotti.

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