Renzi’s strategy against Conte is an ironclad pact between the parties: let the best candidate win the primaries, but then everyone must stand united

“There are two left-wing camps across the world.” This is how the latest social media post by Italia Viva leader Matteo Renzi begins, commenting on Giuseppe Conte’s remarks regarding Ukraine and the broad coalition. The former prime minister writes that there are two types of left with different ideas, just as “there have always been the Obamas and the Sanders, the Bidens and the Ocasio-Cortezes”, and for this reason “primaries serve to decide on a candidate and policy orientations”. The crux of the matter, in his view, “is that the day after, no one can back out, whoever wins. Because on the other side, there is Trump in America, just as there is Meloni in Italy”. Therefore: “Let’s go to the primaries and may the best candidate win. But with an ironclad pact to be signed beforehand: the day after, we’re all in this together. Otherwise, they’re not primaries but a farce”.

Renzi is encouraging the various factions within the broad coalition – on Ukraine and other issues – to lay their cards on the table and compete. But with the promise that they will truly unite under the leadership of whoever is appointed as the spokesperson for the alternative. His proposal comes after Giuseppe Conte’s statement yesterday, in which he not only reiterated his opposition to military support for Kyiv, but also expressed his intention to appoint a leader first and only then to draw up the programme together with the other parties, explaining that, in some way, the impasse over Ukraine “will be resolved through the primary vote”.

The former prime minister continues: “And to those who write to me saying ‘I don’t agree with Conte’s ideas’, I reply: neither do I. On Ukraine, I don’t think they’re very different from Salvini’s. But in a democracy, we debate and test our ideas against one another.” Renzi then explains the underlying aim of this alliance: “We are ready for the primaries. And above all, we want to win the run-offs to prevent Meloni from reaching the Quirinale, Salvini from taking the Interior Ministry and Vannacci from becoming Prime Minister.”

Renzi’s idea appears aimed at maintaining strong unity amongst the various political forces, particularly as in recent hours several Democratic Party figures have turned up their noses at Conte. The reformists within the Democratic Party have gone on the counter-attack, and +Europa has also criticised the words of the Five Star Movement leader: “As far as we are concerned, military support for Kyiv is an essential element of any strategic assessment of the geopolitical reality in which we live and which affects us directly as Italians and Europeans; this must be clarified and defined before any primaries take place,” said Riccardo Magi. “Conte is issuing a challenge that could prove suicidal for a future coalition if it is not taken up, countered and publicly rejected by all those who do not wish to find themselves in league with the Italian and European right on a decisive issue of international politics,” echoed Benedetto Della Vedova, addressing – though primarily – the PD and Elly Schlein (who has not yet made her position clear).