Schlein, isolated on energy issues, is making her move ahead of the primaries, engaging with letters and students. The Conte-Avs alliance is gaining ground

 To break out of the isolation she has got herself into, the ‘establishment’ Elly Schlein – with her sights set on the primaries – has chosen the Udu, the university students’ congress. And to the accusations from her allies, and to journalists asking her to account for her headlong rush, she responds in her own way, with a deft manoeuvre. “On energy, we will continue to demand answers from this government. The united effort continues.” But the letter to Meloni, “let’s collaborate”, continues to spark debate across the broad coalition. Angelo Bonelli, more than anyone else, took a dim view of the secretary’s move. An alliance is forming between Giuseppe Conte and AVS. Meanwhile, the dreaded questions from Nova are arriving, along with the ‘no’ to arms for Kyiv, which will be signed by M5S activists. More fuel for the former prime minister. Schlein responds as always: “We will reach an agreement on everything.”

Now that the Democratic Party leader has entered ‘stubbornly running for Prime Minister’ mode, her ‘stubbornly unifying’ approach could backfire. In the early afternoon, Schlein attends the Udu Congress in Rome. She plays the part of the ‘leader’, but here, amongst the students gathered under the banner ‘The stars guide us through the night’, she feels right at home.

This is the first public occasion since the latest rift – over energy policy – within the broad coalition. Privately, even before the newspapers reported it, the other leaders had expressed their concerns. Bonelli, in particular, did so in a telephone call. On the other hand, it was precisely at the Avs party that a unified proposal on energy had been announced, on which the Green Party leader in particular had worked. Even within the PD, however, behind closed doors, there are mixed reactions. Many understand the harsh reactions of Conte and Bonelli, who have halted the secretary’s momentum: “But it is also true that if we have to hold primaries… The timing was certainly wrong, on the very day the car tax was cut”. Publicly, apart from Francesco Boccia (“no olive branch to Meloni; Schlein is holding Meloni to account”), there have been no major statements from the Democrats. Incidentally, it was Calenda who defended the Democratic Party leader over her proposals to Meloni (his views on Kyiv are quite different), on which Tajani has also shown some openness. Meanwhile, however, Nicola Fratoianni also stepped in yesterday to reinforce the Conte–Avs alliance, with clear words: “There is little room for cooperation with Meloni.” What does Schlein think? She does not respond directly to journalists. First of all, “I express our full solidarity with the lecturer who was attacked”. Then, on the subject of energy, she avoids any reference to her allies. She mentions the united front and points out that “even the EU is debating windfall profits”. And again: “We will continue to demand answers from the government”, not cooperation this time. She then takes her seat at the UDU congress. She speaks to send a message to the students, to engage them ahead of the general election (and the primaries?), following the referendum model. On the subject of international politics, the secretary says: “The left must work to defend international law rather than the use of force, weapons and the army.” She then reiterates: “Italy rejects war.” This is the same title Conte gave to Nova’s policy question number 17, which concerns foreign affairs. In addition to opposing EU rearmament and the 5 per cent NATO spending target, the M5S leader is asking his supporters for a mandate to “radically change Italy’s and Europe’s failed approach towards Ukraine. Continuing to send weapons means pushing peace further away”. This is the position the former prime minister will bring to the programme negotiations, with further momentum coming from party activists. It aligns with that of Fratoianni and Bonelli. The 5S have also discussed the wording to use on the Kyiv dossier, to make it more palatable to the Democrats, before arriving at the final version which has already annoyed the reformists within the PD. “I thought they were Vannacci’s party,” Sensi quips. Among the other proposals: a ‘Basic Income 2.0’ and the establishment of a ministry for migration policy, drawing on an idea that Franco Gabrielli has been nurturing for some time and which he spoke about in recent weeks to Il Foglio. It will certainly be easier to reach a consensus on this. But what about Kyiv? “We’ll reach an agreement on everything,” Schlein keeps repeating.

At the Nazareno, they are well aware that Conte will try to paint the PD as the party of war: if the only way forward is through primaries, the M5S leader will stake everything on this line of attack. The former prime minister keeps repeating that ‘he was in favour of a deal’, but the PD leader wanted the leadership at any cost. This is also being whispered at AVS, where, meanwhile, they are beginning to give serious thought to their own candidate: Fratoianni is favoured over Bonelli. Or perhaps a third, high-profile name, such as Francesca Albanese? The red-and-greens would prefer to avoid the polling booths – that is their first choice – but they will not turn down the media spotlight. In the meantime, they are hoping for a difficult change of heart from Schlein, and for moral suasion from that section of the PD – such as Roberto Speranza – which wants to avoid a showdown between allies. Yesterday, Gaetano Manfredi called on the broad coalition to speed up work on the programme, denying any ambitions to act as a unifying figure or to become the future Prime Minister. “I am busy in Naples; I will contribute ideas.”

In recent hours, Antonio Decaro’s name has also resurfaced. On 5 October, he will be in Bari with Goffredo Bettini to present Rinascita. That is enough to fuel speculation.