Even the street protests against the electoral law are a problem for the opposition. Meanwhile, the leader of the M5S is stepping up the pace on the ‘Gazebo’ campaign, pressing his rival. “Let’s get a move on.” Next week, alongside Meloni, he will do battle in the Chamber over foreign policy. Meanwhile, the Democrats await the Party Assembly and Montepulciano. The programme may come later

The Democratic Party is watching the polls with concern and fears it may fall below 18 per cent. The former prime minister is pushing for primaries as soon as possible, the Nazareno faction wants them as late as possible, and amongst the Democrats there are those who dismiss the party leader with the words: “Elly is absolutely awful.”

Opinion polls and the overtures between the Movement and the red-greens are fuelling the Democrats’ suspicions ahead of the party programme and the primaries. Meanwhile, the two rival leaders cross paths at the launch of the former Minister of Culture’s book (though they do not sit next to each other)

A one-sided look at the ‘Mamdani model’, at the activist and anti-capitalist left-wing movements that demonise Israel. The common-sense policies of the European left are ignored or rejected because they are ‘right-wing’. Is this to be the agenda of the broad coalition? 

During the executive committee meeting, the secretary of the PD spoke about relations with allies but made no comment on the proposal for a two-round voting system or on the possible candidacy of the former mayor of Bergamo. Malpezzi: “A two-round system allows for a broader consensus.” Zampa: “This way, the party confines itself to a narrow scope.” The group abstained from voting on the report, which was approved unanimously.

The secretary responds to the “fanciful speculations” of recent days: “We’ll be ready as early as tomorrow. The programme is being drawn up with the whole coalition.” And she replies to Conte and his allies: “We are the leading party because we’ve earned it. Generous, yes; naive, no.” But she sidesteps the issue of Ukraine. The report was approved unanimously, but the reformists abstained.

“Bending our identity to the logic of political alliances is a colossal mistake,” says the former Democratic Party MP, whilst the party is following the M5S’s lead even on such an important issue. “It is incomprehensible to oppose the bill. I don’t know how much longer we can remain in this centre-left coalition.”