the italian left faction was for the rest of the 1930s led by ottorino perrone (also known with the pseudonym vercesi), although it was fiercely opposed to the cult of the personality which was developing in the comintern around joseph stalin in these years and resisted similar pressures in its own organisation. the faction had members in france, belgium and the united states, but how many in italy looked to it cannot be ascertained since all communist activities there had been driven underground by the fascist government. the main activity of the faction through these years was the publishing of its press, which consisted of the paper "prometeo" and the journal "bilan". with its establishment as a group, the fraction also looked for international co-thinkers. seeing the international left opposition led by leon trotsky as central to the non-stalinist communist movement, they sought contact with it. however, these contacts were to be severed when agreement on basic principles proved impossible.