Video calls, a two-round system and the ombudsman. The primaries to reward Elly

The video call between Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte, Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli last Friday is the new favourite format for the leaders of the PD, M5S and AVS. It is a format that is anything but improvised. Following the unfortunate photo of the convivial gathering at a restaurant in central Rome, the four had decided to avoid repeating such meetings. “Group photos on the centre-left have never gone down well,” was the explanation one of the four leaders gave to their party colleagues to justify that decision. This arrangement also spares Conte the embarrassment of having to meet Matteo Renzi. While it is true that the programme is entrusted to the sherpas of the various parties in the alliance, a summit involving all the leaders (including those from the centre) will have to take place sooner or later. But it will be a video call, precisely. Strictly confidential, of course.

It is said and written that the centre-left primaries will inevitably be a two-round contest. This is because there will almost certainly be more than one candidate. A single round in the event of multiple candidates would, in fact, be risky, as it could result in a winner of the primaries who does not even secure 50 per cent of the vote, or who only just exceeds that figure. Not exactly a good start for someone preparing to take on Giorgia Meloni. In reality, however, no decision has yet been taken on the two-round system, and Giuseppe Conte is insisting that there should be no run-off and that everything be settled in a single round of voting. Within the PD, there is a suspicion that the leader of the M5S, knowing he is destined for defeat, would prefer Elly Schlein not to secure a landslide victory in the primaries.

And still on the subject of the leadership consultations for the centre-left, which are due to take place by the first week of February, the search for a guarantor for the primaries has begun. It is said that Elly Schlein has her sights set on a single name (rather than a panel of several people). And that name is Pier Luigi Bersani. The PD secretary hopes that this choice will win over the support of Democratic Party voters who lean further to the left and who, in the interests of peace, might be tempted to vote for Giuseppe Conte.

Still on the subject of the primaries: the PD has commissioned a highly confidential poll which suggests that Elly Schlein would beat Giuseppe Conte 70 to 30 in the event of a primary with only two candidates.