Bonelli warns the PD: “No weapons for Kyiv; the agreement is by no means a foregone conclusion. AVS will not fall victim to the standoff between Conte and Schlein”

To break the deadlock over the primaries, Angelo Bonelli makes a fresh appeal: “We need a political agreement”. On the issue of arms for Kyiv, he reiterates: “We will never vote in favour”. And will an agreement be reached with the PD and the M5S on this issue? “It’s not a foregone conclusion; we’ll see – we’ll discuss it as we always have”.

The leader of Avs speaks to Il Foglio and sends signals to his allies, Elly Schlein and Giuseppe Conte. ‘Honourable Member, did you book this table? After Nova, is it now time for the programme?’ ‘We are available immediately. Meloni is now on the campaign trail and this should prompt the other political forces to step up their efforts too,’ replies Bonelli. “We have always encouraged a process of rapprochement between Conte and Schlein, but AVS cannot find itself caught in this pincer movement resulting from their dispute. That is why, on 18 October, we will present our proposals in Rome.” Ranging from social justice to environmental justice, these proposals are the result of the work of party members and MPs, as well as ideas drawn from the online platform Decidiamo. “If, in the meantime, there is a willingness to meet – even in the coming days – then so much the better. We have never shied away from it.”

The “stranglehold” Bonelli refers to stems from the contest between Schlein and Conte. Are primaries inevitable? Or is a third candidate still a possibility? “Conte and Schlein both have our respect and trust. But we, as we have always said, would prefer a political agreement,” says the Green Party leader, who does not wish to take sides on names or party leaders. “I wouldn’t even know who to suggest. The point is to discuss it together. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a situation where primaries are being favoured. Personally, I am convinced that primary elections would be detrimental, because they inevitably lead to an emphasis on differences, with a whole host of consequences for the electorate. This worries us enormously and should also worry the leaders of the PD and the M5S,” Bonelli adds.

If there are indeed primaries, however, Avs will also be in the running at that point: various names are already being bandied about, including that of Francesca Albanese. “We will decide collectively whether to take part in due course. The point today is that policy and political issues are resolved through politics.” The main issue remains foreign policy. There is a shared view on opposing rearmament and the increase in NATO spending to 5 per cent. Opinions differ on arms supplies to Kyiv, with Avs holding a position similar – if not entirely identical – to that of Conte and the M5S activists, who expressed their views during the Nova programme: they are firmly opposed to new military packages. “AVS certainly cannot join the government and vote for measures it has opposed up to now,” Bonelli emphasises. “It is clear that Russia has violated international law and we are in favour of sanctions, of not buying Putin’s gas either today or tomorrow, just as we are considering the use of frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine. However, the war will not end with the military defeat of one side or the other. A diplomatic breakthrough is needed.” With the PD, which wants to continue supporting Kyiv, including with weapons, will a compromise be reached? “It’s not a foregone conclusion; we’ll discuss it and see. Certainly, a break with this government will be necessary.” All the more so to distance ourselves from “this vulgar, populist right wing, which chases after Vannacci at the expense of children. Meloni has now dropped the mask. I believe she wants us to vote in April, but it is disgraceful that she does not say so, simply to try to put the opposition in a difficult position.”

Yet Schlein decided a few days ago to write to the Prime Minister, offering cooperation on energy matters. Was that a mistake? “On the substance, these are proposals we can agree with; some are even our own. But when dealing with someone who has dismantled climate and energy policies, at such a delicate stage, I would have handled it differently. It would have been preferable to have consulted on this decision,” retorts the Green Party spokesperson. Who, in recent days, has, through no fault of his own, been targeted by Vincenzo De Luca: according to the mayor of Salerno, Bonelli brings bad luck. “He’s a boor to whom I wouldn’t know how to respond. This attack has left me dumbfounded, given that no political accusation has been levelled against me, which would have been entirely legitimate. The real issue is something else.” What is it? “I’ve also been subjected to a shitstorm of abuse. I’ve been attacked because I apparently look sad and melancholic. This way of stoking hatred, through body-shaming, is shameful. Yesterday, in a park, they asked my 10-year-old daughter if she’s a jinx like her father. I spent the whole day explaining to her that there are some rather strange people about. De Luca should think carefully about his words.”