16 Sep 1935 - Rome

[Diarist]

At 0900 the Grand Council of Fascism held an extraordinary meeting. Its members are:

The Head of Government and Duce of Fascism
Benito Mussolini

The Quadrumvirs
Emilio De Bono (In Eritrea)
Cesare Maria De Vecchi
Italo Balbo (In Libya)

Parliament
President of the Senate
President of the Chamber of Deputies

Ministers
Agriculture and Forestry
Corporations
Finance
Foreign Affairs
Interior
Justice
National Education
Press and Propaganda

The presidents of the Royal Academy of Italy, of the special court of state emergency and defense, and those of the Corporations; Industrialists, Agriculture workers, Industrial workers and Farmers. The inventor Guglielmo Marconi was the President of the Academy of Italy, making him a council member.
The Chief of Staff, i.e. commander of the MVSN (Blackshirts)
The Secretary of the National Fascist Party (who is also the secretary of the Council)
Various people chosen by Mussolini himself, who held 3-years appointments.

Most of the members are loyal to Mussolini but faced with the loss of all Italian overseas territories, the destruction of the Navy and impending loss of Piedmont and Trieste regions he had few friends at the moment. The economy is on the brink of collapsing, electricity and fuel are rationed, food is also scarce in many regions and there is rampant inflation where food stocks do exist.

The debate didn't last long and with a vote 24 to 7 King Victor Emmanuel III has been requested to replace the Prime Minister, Mussolini, and to explore avenues for a ceasefire.

[Diarist]

King Victor Emmanuel III removed Mussolini from power and appointed his son Prince Umberto of Piedmont as provisional Prime Minister until he, Umberto, chooses a successor. Former Foreign Secretary Dino Grandi, who is in Bern, will be authorized to negotiate a ceasefire with Britain and France. Following the Savoyards' tradition ("Only one Savoy reigns at a time"), and to facilitate peace negotiations he has announced is intention to abdicate in favour of his son Umberto. The Kingdom of Italy can start afresh.

[Diarist]

The Prime Minister, Prince Umberto, selected Ivanoe Bonomi to be the next Prime Minister and tasked him with formation of a new government. Prince Umberto also suggested that Marshall Pietro Badoglio, the current Chief of Staff, be named Minister of Defence. He also directed Dino Grandi to accept the Yugoslavian demands but to insist on an orderly departure from the region. Marshall Badoglio had already briefed him on the situation in Piedmont and he realizes that the longer the conflict continues, the more territory would be lost. A ceasefire "in place" is essential.

The good news is that Mussolini's removal hasn't provoked civil unrest in Italy. Italy now has to await the lenient terms offered by the British and French Foreign Ministers.