[Hard on the heels of the collapse of…]

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Hard on the heels of the collapse of the right-wing Belgian government, comes the disintegration of the reformist led coalition with the Christian Democrats in Holland.

Social Democratic Premier den Lyl was forced to resign when the Christian Democrats left the coalition in protest over a proposal to limit compensation to the owners of land compulsorily purchased by the government.

But the more basic reason for the Christian Democrats' action is the pressure created by the econom sis and the resistance of the It is the sight of the recent militant wage strikes in Holland which more than anything else have convinced the Christian Democrats (like the British Tories) that they need to make a bid to exercise power independently of the reformists, who are showing themselves less and less capable of controlling the mass movement.

The date of the general election, which was fixed in any case for May 25, will not be brought forward.

In the meantime the reformist and capitalist politicians have to try to patch up some interim regime.

The last coalition took 60 days land nights to put toget=. the war) commented on the demonstrations which followed the police murder of a left-wing student:

"Fascism, in the 1920's, began with an attack on Bologna's Town Hall. And it also wore a left disguise".

COALITION POLICIES

By 'pincer' tactics - the most vicious and slanderous attacks on the left, combined with protest strikes and 'general strikes' of a few hours or even minutes to wear down the energies of the mass movement - the bureaucracy hope to impose their coalition policies on Italy.

But at the same time there exists a huge potential to build a revolutionary political leadership which will reject both the policies and the creatures of popular frontom.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWSI