Conte is laying the groundwork for the primaries. The battle for the youth vote with Schlein

Rome. Giuseppe Conte is weaving his web. He is expanding it ahead of the primaries. His clear ‘no’ to arms for Kyiv remains the central focus of his campaign. His latest statement: “Putin is bombing, but so is Zelensky; negotiations are needed”, as the news agencies summarise. But there is more to it than just Ukraine. There are moves to secure ground in the centre, the (anti-Renzi) faction with Alessandro Onorato and Progetto Civico Italia: the latest development is that 5S Senator Luigi Nave is switching to the Mixed Group, representing the AVS. This will then give rise to the faction that will fly the PSI banner, allowing Enzo Maraio and Onorato to circumvent the excessive number of signatures required under the Melonellum (in this way, ‘only’ 1,500–2,000 will be needed per constituency). Above all, the challenge with Elly Schlein continues. Whilst awaiting the manifesto, the younger members are also vying for attention with a flurry of proposals and strategies.

Let’s take it in order: yesterday morning, the two leaders met in Milan for an event organised by Lega Coop. Signs of a thaw, smiles for the photographers, a bit of a chat (with more to follow later). The game, however, continues, despite the fact that the ‘no primaries’ party is still at work, even pinning its hopes on the Constitutional Court. Massimo D’Alema, who was presenting his book in Genoa alongside the mayor, Silvia Salis (“I regard her favourably; she has an innovative and effective political style”), and Andrea Orlando, are not giving up. He urges: “Let’s not harm ourselves. Schlein and Conte? Let them reach an agreement; divisions only help the right.” However, these hopes risk remaining just that. The Democratic Party is forging ahead on its own path, convinced it will ‘win’ at the polling booths, and do so on its own terms. The former prime minister, as he has explained on several occasions, feels a ‘responsibility’ to offer answers even to those disappointed by the centre-right. He is a progressive, certainly. But with a majority-winning, ‘take-it-all’ mindset, much to the chagrin of the PD’s reformists (and others). At the programme-planning table – with the PD Assembly due next Sunday and who knows what alignment of the centrist parties might occur, “I hope there are two,” says Angelo Bonelli – there is a risk of the situation escalating.

In the late afternoon, Schlein and Conte cross paths again, this time in Rome. The occasion is ‘60 under 30’, an initiative that recognises rising stars (and which was also attended by members of the ruling coalition). The allies-turned-rivals from the broad coalition, facilitated by Bettini, find themselves seated next to one another: a brief conversation ensues. From the stage, they address the young people, set out their proposals and court their support. Conte speaks of Nova and ‘generational pacts’. Schlein focuses on ‘a genuine housing plan’, not Meloni’s. There is an awareness, both at the Nazareno and in Via di Campo di Marzio, that the vote of the younger generations was decisive in the referendum, and could be so in the general election. The PD may well have realised this first. And indeed, there has recently been much talk – quite rightly – of Virginia Libero, the secretary of the Young Democrats, who ventures where Schlein cannot or will not go; she is ready to organise defectors whilst, at the same time, setting up tents in Rome’s squares – following the Spanish model – to campaign for the right to housing. But the M5S is not standing idly by. After three years on the back burner, Conte’s youth network is establishing a proper structure and beginning to function. The youth wings of the other parties are even letting slip some impatience and discontent at a level of competition they were not used to. Some have even switched sides, joining the Movement. Among Conte’s young supporters, Jacopo Gasparetti stands out, for example. He is the communications manager for Alessandra Todde, the governor (Pontiera) of Sardinia. He played a role in organising the youth network – which gathered a few weeks ago in Diamante, Calabria, and has Vittoria Baldino as its point of contact amongst the ‘senior figures’. Having appointed the regional coordinators, the M5S youth wing will soon elect its own national representative as well. However, it is unlikely to be the highly active Gasparetti. Why is that? In addition to his work with Todde – sources say – he is already busy organising committees in support of Conte for president ahead of the primaries, and he also runs an online newspaper called Nxwss – which has around 300,000 followers on Instagram – aimed at Gen Z. And this, too, through its news coverage, could become a channel for reaching a certain audience. Little Rocco Casalinos are growing up. The battle for the primaries is also playing out here.