Armando Cossutta, a leading figure of the former Italian Communist Party (PCI), died in Rome on Monday at the age of 89.
Cossutta joined the PCI in 1943 and was active in the
Italian Resistance Movement during World War Two.
In the post-war period, he became one of the PCI's most
prominent figures, and represented the most pro-Soviet Union
part of the party.
"With the passing of Armando Cossutta we have lost one of
the most significant personalities in the history of the PCI,"
said former premier and PCI member Massimo D'Alema.
Cossutta helped found the present-day Communist
Refoundation Party PRC in 1991, after opposing the dissolution
of the PCI.
He then left the PRC due to disagreements and formed the
Party of Italian Communists.
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