Politics
The definitive guide •
When, how and where: all the key issues in the broad-based primaries
The reformists in the PD would like a two-round system, whilst Conte is calling for a single round and online voting. Schlein is prepared to accommodate the M5S leader on both counts, but she wants to decide for herself when this will happen: polling stations not far from the political vote
There are signs of movement, albeit limited. The debate on the far left regarding the primaries appears to be advancing slightly. Compared with August—when, as we noted, virtually nothing was clear—today’s outlook for determining how to select the leader of the centre-left coalition appears less bleak. This morning on La7, Giuseppe Conte reiterated that he had “proposed to Schlein that all party leaders step aside to put forward a third figure” to lead the coalition, but “she is not open to this”. Therefore, as he explained last Friday during a day of attacks and heated exchanges between the PD secretary and the former prime minister (as well as from the AVS duo), the primaries now “remain the only alternative”. So, no ‘foreign pope’ then. But on everything else, the stubborn members of the broad coalition still have positions that need to be clarified.
When to vote?
A key issue is the timing. Here, the positions of the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party differ. Conte reiterated this again this morning: we need to speed things up. “When a course of action is chosen, it must be pursued – not least for the sake of clarity for the electorate; there is no doubt about that. It’s not as if we can remain in this state of total uncertainty indefinitely,” he explained. The urgency with which he is calling for a leader to be appointed immediately stems partly from the fact that, in his view, the choice of who will become Prime Minister will resolve the issues that still divide the parties on certain positions, such as their stance on Ukraine.
Schlein and the Green and Left Alliance, on the other hand, are in favour of postponing the decision until after the programme has been finalised. The PD secretary also explained last Friday at the Executive Committee meeting that the joint, agreed text comes first, and everything else follows. Indeed, she did so by chiding her allies, particularly regarding the timing: “We are ready. But, quite legitimately, there are those who have announced their own process, which only concluded in September this year.” Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni also share the PD secretary’s view. Moreover, both would have much preferred to avoid the contest altogether. Yesterday, the Greens’ spokesperson reiterated this: “Primaries are divisive; they risk dividing rather than uniting.” In his view, “we should have been ready to draw up a programme for the country some time ago”.
Single-round or two-round
Another divisive issue concerns the format of the primaries. However, the greatest division appears to lie solely within the PD. The question is whether the contest should be a single round or a two-round system, with a run-off between the candidates receiving the most votes. The parties in the broad coalition are almost all in agreement on the idea of a single-round election, with the candidate receiving the most votes winning outright. Furthermore, there is also consensus that there should be only one candidate per party.
However, for several weeks now, the reformist wing of the Democratic Party has been proposing not only that the elections be held in two rounds, but also that the PD put forward two candidates to reflect the views of the internal minority as well. The proposal emerged from the reformists’ assembly in Prato, with Giorgio Gori stating he was ready to stand, should the party leadership give the go-ahead. However, the matter was not raised at the Executive Committee meeting and, according to reports, the minority has accepted that the party will put forward only one candidate, namely Elly Schlein.
Online or at a gazebo
Before the actual primary race began, another issue that the Five Star Movement prioritised was online voting. Building on their digital heritage (they originated online), Giuseppe Conte has expressed his support for allowing online voting. “The voter base needs to be as broad as possible,” say sources close to the former prime minister.
However, the PD, which is deeply rooted in local communities and regards campaign stands as part of its identity, has expressed reservations. Also last Friday, the reformist Senator Sandra Zampa explained: “First and foremost, we must ensure that online voting does not take place.” This view is shared by her fellow faction members, who fear there may be foreign interference (the reference is to Russia) and that voters might ultimately cast multiple votes without any checks. The other factions within the broad coalition have not expressed a clear position on this issue, reiterating their stance that the programme comes first. Schlein appears ready to accommodate Conte on this point.
Contributions: yes or no?
A final issue, however, concerns the contribution required of those taking part in the vote. It has not yet become clear, but when the vote takes place, a decision will have to be made as to whether voters will be required to contribute a sum of money, as was the case in the PD primaries in 2023 (and in any other internal party election), when those who turned out to vote between Schlein and Stefano Bonaccini had to pay 2 euros.
Positions on this matter are not yet known, and those concerned are sidestepping the issue, considering it far too premature. However, sources close to the Five Star Movement explain that they are not convinced by the proposal and that they are guided by the mantra already expressed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte: “The primaries must be as open as possible”, which most likely means that they will also demand that they be free of charge (all the more so online).
Italia Viva does not have a specific position on the issue and, as someone who knows Matteo Renzi well explains to Il Foglio, they will ultimately have no problem accepting the rules decided by the PD. However, they are keen to point out that the senator from Florence believes there are more serious matters to consider than the rules of the primaries. In short, this is the same view held by the Green and Left Alliance. The project is still in its infancy.