Dalla “via americana” al “progetto gandhiano”: l’Europa dei Radicali (1979-89)

Abstract

From the late 1970s, the Radical Party’s anti-statism, anti-nationalism, and anti-
militarism evolved into a broader reflection on European integration. Although
aimed at preventing the European continent from becoming a peripheral area
at the mercy of the clash between the USA and the USSR, the Radicals’ vision of
Europe took shape primarily as a space and instrument for defending and spreading
democracy and the rule of law. For this reason, the Radicals believed that
Europe should interact also with actors beyond its geographical borders. Starting
in 1982, the leader Marco Pannella, a member of the European Parliament,
and subsequently the entire party, committed themselves to supporting Altiero
Spinelli’s initiative to have a “draft treaty for the European Union” approved
by the European Parliament. In the second half of the 1980s, this unwavering
commitment to a federalist evolution of European institutions not only implied
support for the United States of Europe project, but also influenced the Radicals’
pursuit of a transnational organizational and strategic dimension.