Battered and divided, Italy’s center-left seeks a new leader – #Battered #divided #Italys #centerleft #seeks #leader
ROME, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) this weekend pulled the group out of a tailspin and nationalist Prime Minister It will choose a new leader who can provide a credible challenge to Giorgia Meloni.
PD supporters differ on how to revive the party after a series of crushing electoral defeats offer will have to choose between two very different candidates.
Front-runner Stefano Bonaccini is president of the wealthy, northern Emilia-Romagna region. he judge promoting himself as a sound administrator and proven vote winner who will seek cross-party alliances to defeat the right-wing coalition.
He sees the PD’s shift to the left and gender equality, LGBTQ rights, climate change and labour against the rising star of Italian politics, Elli Schlein, who wants to unite behind basic values such as reforms.
“I’m not sure that either of these two candidates can lead the PD to victory in the next election, but Bonaccini will certainly have a wider appeal,” said Sofia Ventura, a professor of political science at the University of Bologna.
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“Law is rooting for Schlein. They think he will make PD unelectable.”
PD 20Ever since it was founded in 07 national he did not win elections, but proved adept at building coalitions and secured three of Italy’s last six prime ministers.
The party itself is fractured, meaning it is now seeking its ninth leader in 16 years, and its once-strong local roots are drying up, leaving it with Italy’s 20 leads only four of the region.
LOST IDENTITY
Its last leader is Enrico Letta PD’s 2022 parliament resigned after finishing second in the elections, paying a heavy price for failing to form an alliance with the 5-Star Movement and other opponents of Meloni’s bloc.
While the 5-Star Movement has successfully positioned itself as a defender of the poor and the South, PD’s identity has been blurred. He enjoys the support of metropolitan elites, but has lost touch with working-class voters.
Bonaccini’s detractors say the 56-year-old regional leader represents the past, not the future. “He’s as boring as a funeral director,” famous photographer Oliviero Toscani said this week, urging police to rally behind Schlein.
If he gets the nod, Schlein, 37, will become the first openly LGBTQ person to lead a major party in Italy.
A pro-European and a feminist, she has Jewish roots and saw off two established party veterans in the primaries to win a seat in Sunday’s runoff, which will be open to any registered resident of Italy. The winner is expected to be announced on Sunday evening.
Temporary voting booths are being set up across the country, and PD officials hope at least one million people will participate. 20Over 3.5 million votes were cast in the first PD leadership race in 07, but since then numbers have dwindled and worse weather threat will further reduce voter turnout this weekend.
Reporting by Crispian Balmer Editing by Keith Weir
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-02-24 13:54:24
Source – reuters
Translation“24 HOURS”