Calenda to Schlein: “Your stance on Ukraine is good and clear, but now you need to take a stand: we’re waiting for you to join the pro-European camp”

The response given by Carlo Calenda, leader of Azione, to Elly Schlein’s interview with Il Foglio highlights the paradox of the broad coalition. The PD secretary unequivocally called for military support for Ukraine in her interview with "Il Foglio". Schlein described the Russian invasion as criminal, identified Putin as a threat not to be underestimated, and called for a stronger Europe, capable of moving beyond the requirement for unanimity and building a genuine common defence. At the same time, however, she admitted that there are forces within the coalition with differing positions and confirmed that she is “stubbornly committed to unity”, ready to hold together all opponents of Giorgia Meloni and without vetoing even Calenda.

This is where the leader of Azione lands his blow. “I appreciate your clear and unequivocal stance on Ukraine, which, however, clashes with your stubborn insistence on unity, given that half of your coalition does not share that stance; we therefore look forward to welcoming you to the pro-European, reformist, pro-Ukraine centre when you decide that values come before electoral coalitions”. In a sense, this reply does not close a door: it opens one, but on specific conditions. Calenda acknowledges Schlein’s pro-European and pro-Ukraine stance, but challenges her view that differences over foreign policy can be deferred to a future joint programme. The point, for Azione, is that when it comes to Ukraine, it is not a matter of finding a lexical compromise, but of choosing which side to take. And thus to decide whether electoral unity takes precedence over political consistency, or whether it is values that define the boundaries of alliances.