This paper analyzes and compares the way the British Labour Party and the Italian Democratic Party are currently dealing with their recent past in the attempt to frame an innovative narrative. Firstly, it investigates the extent to which the new partisan identities have been defined in terms of principles, policies and core constituencies. Secondly, it concerns itself with the modalities through which the processes of identity reconstruction are taking place. Most particularly, it examines how the party leaders communicate and make the ongoing changes acceptable to party members and core voters. Finally, it tries to assess whether these processes merely take place at a national level or are part of a broader European trend. Thus, the influence of foreign models and the exchange of ideas and practices with other left-wing parties is also carefully taken into account.
