Renzi’s show: “The dividing line will be with Trump or against him. Anyone voting outside the coalitions is wasting their vote”

“Are we on our own? We certainly have different ideas.” Matteo Renzi, interviewed by Salvatore Merlo at the Festa dell’Ottimismo, begins by acknowledging his differences from the other centre-left parties which, at times – with the Five Star Movement leading the way – even seem to suggest they do not particularly tolerate his presence within the coalition. “With the M5S, the PD and the AVS,” he said, “I’m prepared to discuss anything, but the real issue is Meloni: over the past five years, has she governed well or badly? If you think she’s governed well, vote for her again.” "Is that the only thing that unites you?" Merlo then asked. "Yes, unfortunately that’s the case," admitted the Prime Minister, acknowledging in particular the divisions over military support for Ukraine. "And yet," Renzi continued, "you have to find three issues that can bring us together: because in Italian history, it has always been foreign policy that has divided coalitions. Today we must acknowledge that, on foreign policy, both coalitions are in fact divided. It’s tragic, but that’s how it is. Do you know what the only real unifying factor foreign policy can provide is? Whether you’re with Trump or against Trump. This is the factor I’m asking the centre-left to capitalise on.”

The leader of IV did not hold back in delivering a scathing dig at Chiara Appendino, who had just reiterated on stage that the M5S is vetoing Renzi within the progressive alliance. “Apart from the fact that when she sees me, she tells me the exact opposite. But in any case, I can tell you that we will not field candidates with final convictions, such as yourself and Travaglio. We do not veto anyone, but I won’t be taken for a ride by fake moralists. In any case, given the global disaster we’re facing, this discussion is a bit of a non-issue.” 

Renzi also explained why, unlike Carlo Calenda and Pina Picierno, he believes it is right to opt for a coalition in any case. “My bet is that both coalitions will exceed the 42 per cent threshold. In my view, anyone sitting on the fence is throwing their vote away.” The former prime minister offered his recalcitrant allies a compelling argument for not excluding him from the coalition: “This law is a proportional representation system”In practice, he explained, IV is needed by the coalition to reach the 42 per cent threshold set by the Stabilicum, which guarantees the winning coalition: “I don’t care what they say about us; we’ll be on the ballot paper precisely because it’s a proportional system – with our three per cent, we’ll get in anyway. If they want us and we can work together, so much the better; otherwise, it’s they who lose out because we’ll be standing anyway. Our lists are already ready. If the centre-left wants to lose, they’ll do so ‘not in my name’”. Renzi also has no objection to the electoral law on another point: preferential votes. “This electoral law,” he said, “has at least one advantage: it reintroduces preferential votes, however limited they may be. On behalf of IV, I undertake to field the lead candidates in many constituencies or under the majority bonus. This means they’ll get in easily, leaving seats free in various constituencies for candidates with preference votes.” Italia Viva – Renzi joked – is like Digger’s Il Foglio, Inarritu’s latest film: nobody goes to see it, but it’s brilliant. 

Renzi naturally also spoke about the primaries: “First issue: are they going ahead or not? The position of the PD, Casa Riformista and AVS is that they should go ahead if there is a policy framework; I hope Conte understands this too. But if you hold primaries, you are then bound by the result of the primary vote.” The former prime minister then spoke about the rules for these potential primaries: “The first option is that there is an agreement whereby only two candidates stand. In that case, I’ll vote wholeheartedly for Schlein. The alternative is that anyone who wants to can stand, and in that case it’s obvious there’ll have to be a run-off. If the election is in November, the primaries will be held in May; if it’s in June, we’ll hold them in February.” And what about Silvia Salis? “Salis isn’t standing in the primaries anyway, so don’t ask her.”

The leader of IV also attacked – albeit without naming him – Alessandro Onorato’s Civic Project: “If you’re putting together a reformist coalition, you can’t exactly put forward Antonino Ingroia as a candidate, given that his investigation created the conditions for the worst institutional crisis in recent years, dragging in a giant of due process such as President Giorgio Napolitano.”