Magi (Più Europa): “No veto on Renzi, but he mustn’t use our leaders as pawns”

 “For my part, there has been no veto against anyone. We are open to everyone, even Renzi, but on a basis of equal dignity.” Riccardo Magi, secretary of Più Europa, defends himself. Last week, the party assembly voted on a motion calling for a new party congress (Magi and his supporters consider it illegitimate). The stance of the two promoters – former secretary Benedetto Della Vedova and president Matteo Hallissey – is to reach an agreement with IV ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Magi, however, sees things differently: “I,” he says, “am talking to all those who, despite their differences, intend to work towards a reformist and federalist European project within the centre-left: Onorato, Tabacci, Ruffini, Maraio and others. I am convinced that having a single electoral entity is the right solution. I would also speak to Renzi, but it is he who does not want to speak to us. At least not officially. The impression – the secretary continues – is that he prefers to use certain leaders of Più Europa as if they were his pawns, to predetermine our electoral choices in his favour without having to bear the burden of political debate. Others have tried this in the past too. Della Vedova, much to my regret, lends himself very well to this game. And, unexpectedly, Hallissey too, who until now, with his group, seemed more inclined to build a new third political bloc.” Meanwhile, the issue of the party congress has ended up in court. On Thursday, following the vote to convene a new congress, 45 members of the Più Europa assembly issued a formal warning to President Hallissey against convening the congress. “He hasn’t replied yet,” says Magi. “I really hope they stop; it would be a shame if the party’s fate were to end up in court.”

Meanwhile, Magi views the German election as a warning to the Italian centre-left: “The right does not win when progressive policies are in place: in Germany with the AfD, as in Italy with the Vannacci phenomenon, growth occurs precisely when the right is in power. This tells us that if the left wants to win there, it must not imitate the right, but provide alternative solutions”.