Onorato’s three-day event to present the programme. The broad coalition was present, with the exception of Schlein and Magi

Giuseppe Conte (and the other centre-left leaders) will be there, but not Elly Schlein. There is little sign of the centre. Alessandro Onorato is preparing to launch his programme at the general assembly of Progetto Civico Italia. “We’re ready,” says the Roman councillor and friend of Goffredo Bettini. “The programme will be unveiled as soon as possible,” he assures in a series of statements released in the last few hours. And he attacks Meloni: “Italians no longer want to be misled by a government that has failed to keep any of its promises.” The focus is on: “The elimination of excise duties, the abolition of the Fornero law, the defence of Italian businesses and greater security in our cities”. Tomorrow – as announced to Il Foglio two weeks ago – a three-day series of events will kick off in Rome to present the PcI’s proposals and priorities, complete with “costs, funding and implementation timelines”, assures its founder. A down-to-earth approach. 

The line-up of guests includes various figures who have joined the Civic Project, as well as all local councillors from across Italy. It will also serve to lay another brick in the broad-based alliance ahead of the forthcoming elections. However, as mentioned, not all centre-left leaders will be present. Onorato himself will open the proceedings and will be interviewed immediately afterwards alongside Enzo Maraio, secretary of the Socialist Party (the two have recently joined the Senate’s Mixed Group, thanks to M5S Senator Nave). Other guests will include Ismaele La Vardera, a former presenter on Le Iene and now a Sicilian candidate for the Italian Communist Party (PCI); Stefania Proietti, President of the Umbria Region; Giovanni Malagò, Commissioner of the Italian Communist Youth Federation (FGCI); Michele De Pascale, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region; and Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region. Health Minister Orazio Schillaci will also be present, delivering a speech on Sunday. 

Among the guests are Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni of the Green and Left Alliance. And, above all, Giuseppe Conte, who from the outset has supported – not least as a move against Renzi – the formation of the new party of local administrators. A panel will also be dedicated to one of Conte’s deputy chairmen, Stefano Patuanelli. 

Elly Schlein, however, will not be attending. The PD secretary was initially scheduled to feature in the programme, with a remote address. But due to scheduling conflicts, as her staff explain, she has had to withdraw (she will be in Cagliari at a Festa dell’Unità event, whilst on Sunday she will bring the PD’s ‘correntone’ initiative in Montepulciano to a close). To make up for this, the Democratic Party’s quota will be covered by the party’s president, Stefano Bonaccini, as well as the mayors Roberto Gualtieri and Gaetano Manfredi (Naples). Riccardo Magi, secretary of +Europa, will not be present either, as he was not invited. The other centrist parties and their respective leaders will also be absent, including Matteo Renzi and Ernesto Maria Ruffini.