From the war to the ‘cicices’ to the canvas of alliances, the two years of Elly Schlein

“They didn’t see us coming,” Elly Schlein said two years ago. It was February 26, 2023 and Monk, a place in that of Pietralata, the East district of Rome, Elly Schlein celebrates the victory in the primaries of the Democratic Party, among a few intimate. Few intimate because the bulk of the media circus is divided between Casalecchio di Reno, the basis of the Committee of Stefano Bonaccini, and the Nazarene, the center of the ‘flows’ of the data of the gazebo. Few, between managers and analysts, have bet On the victory of this 40 -year -old (next May 4) with the fixed for Indie music and video games. For everyone is “The Schlein wave”, the novelty effect that seems to want to overwhelm the party, its liturgies, its leaders. It is to chase that novelty effect that, both Schlein and Bonaccini, lead two campaigns for the primaries leaving the Capicorrente and the historical managers of the Democratic Party outside the door. And so they also do with those “lords of the cards” which, a few days after the primaries,Schlein will define the “cacicchi” at the assembly, or the prisoners of Pd Patrockery Packets in the territories. “We eradicate Cacicchi and Capibastone from the Democratic Party”, Tuona Schlein from the stage of the Nuvola dell’Eur, where the assembly called to crown it is held. A generic invective, behind which many recognized the face of Vincenzo De Luca, president of the Campania Region with which Schlein will engage in several political ’rounds’, by the commissioner of the Campania Federation, entrusted to Antonio Misiani, to the arm wrestling on the third term.

But the formation of the secretariat is the first clash ground between the new Schlein -guided majority and the minority composed of three pillars: reformist base, current organized around the figure of Lorenzo Guerini; Former Motion Bonaccini, who would shortly be structured in popular energy; new-class, or the former Lettians without Enrico Letta. The latter will provide help to the secretary at the time of the stall on the composition of the secretariat and the presidents of the groups. Also in this case, the mine to be defused bears the name of De Luca. However, these are Piero, son of the Governor from Campania Vincenzo, that the secretary dem wants to keep out of the bureau, not renewing him in the role of deputy group leader. A choice that causes reformist basic nervousness which, however, makes Senator Alessandro Alfieri enter the secretariat as responsible for the party reforms and PNRRs. The balance in the party remain fragile, Also because in March there is to vote for the extension of the sending of weapons to Ukraine, a discovered nerve still today. The secretary does not change the line inaugurated by Enrico Letta on the sending of weapons, but adds a more pressing appeal to the diplomatic way of which Europe, in its opinion, should take charge.

On this issue, as will be for that of the Middle East, Schlein starts a communication channel with some exponents of the minority such as Enzo Amendola and Lorenzo Guerini, however entrusting the responsibility of the Foreign Affairs to Peppe Provenzano. If in Rome we avoid accidents, the same cannot be said for what happens in Brussels. On June 6, at the first test of the vote, the PD delegation to the European Parliament votes against the indication of the leader in favor of the regulatory tool that offers the possibility to the member countries to use PNRR funds for the production of ammunition to be sent to Kiev.

Less difficulties Schlein encounters on the Middle East dossier, After the attack of 7 October, in front of which the Democratic Party is compactly sided for the ceasefire and the liberation of the hostages, with the aim of a “two peoples, two states” solution. In the meantime, the dem leader begins to fall in the role of anti-melons, looking for polarization with the premier. In February the tragedy of Cutro, in which 94 migrant people die a few hundred meters from the Calabrian coast, are a first clash. Schlein decides to go to pay homage to the corpses, on March 2, 2023, a few hours after the private visit of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.

The polarization gives Schlein an impress of the number of new members to the Democratic Party, about 20 thousand subscriptions, and the polls speak of five points more than 19 percent of the policies. The first electoral test, however, disappoints: to the administrative of May, the Democratic Party wins only in Vicenza. The analysis of Schlein’s defeat, however, also offers ideas on the future strategy: “We do not win alone”, is the phrase that will become a leitmotif also for subsequent electoral rounds. Schlein’s relationship with Giuseppe Conte moves on this line. The two chase each other and reject themselves in a ‘ballet’ that also brings them to the square alongside each other.

The first to offer himself to the embrace is Schlein, appearing at the demonstration against the precariousness organized by the M5S in mid -June and making the minority of his party angry. A few days later the two offer an encore to the CGIL manifestation for health.

Finally, it will be Conte to return the courtesy by appearing for a few minutes under the Pd stage of Piazza del Popolo, during the Democratic Party against the government’s maneuver. The two chase each other, but weighs in the relations between Pd and M5S the looming of the European elections where everyone goes for themselves, without coalitions, in search of the best possible result. Both Schlein and Conte know they have to dialogue on some games, such as those of the regional ones, e In Sardinia the agreement for the candidacy of Alessandra Todde arrives, M5S exponent who wins by subverting the predictions.

Satisfactions, for Schlein, also come from electoral rounds to administrative and Europeans, with a growth of consensus that strengthens the Democratic Party. Despite the efforts, it is that alliance that leaders, or a part of them, had sworn to want to build. A step back, November 2023, Congress of the Italian Left: Nicola Fratoianni calls Elly Schlein, Giuseppe Conte and Riccardo Magi to Perugia. He asks for a great unitary manifestation of oppositions on topics such as work, health and school. The appeal does not have the hoped for effect. Schlein and Conte present themselves to that same congress in two separate moments, avoiding laying together for the ritual photos. The event is not held. In parliament, however, the signs of approach are recorded.

The oppositions are united to submit a bill to refinance the national health system. Marciano united on the minimum salary. They make a wall on differentiated autonomy. It is precisely on the differentiated autonomy that a shot is noticed in the construction of the wide field or progressive field, depending on the variations. On June 18, in Piazza Santi Apostoli, Schlein, Conte, Fratoianni, Bonelli and Magi find themselves on the same stage for the first time. Among the hidden of hundreds of tricolors, the cry “unit, unity” is raised. Everything suggests that the road is downhill to get to an agreement or, at least, to a center -left table. But there are at least two factors to complicate the journey. The first is the electoral weight conquered by the Democratic Party. The dem, in early June, record an unexpectedly positive result to the European Championships. With 24.11 percent, the dem are the second Italian party for seats obtained behind Fratelli d’Italia, at 28.76 percent. A growth of almost five percentage points compared to 2022 policies and a couple of points compared to the 2019 European Championships.

On the other hand, The Europeans record the disappointing result of the five stars, stop at 9.9 percent, Seven points in less than the previous European elections. A weakness, that of the movement, which does not help the construction of the coalition. The Five Stars claim their autonomy and are not “bushes” in an alliance that turns around the Nazarene all around. In July the embrace between Schlein and Renzi at the game of the heart rekindles the tensions inside the center -left. The regional elections are not enough to restart the alliance construction site. In the autumn, between October and November, it is voted in Liguria, where the center-right junta fell for the investigation that involved President Giovanni Toti, in Umbria and Emilia-Romagna.

Tensions reach alarm levels in September 2024, On the occasion of the election of the four directors of the Rai Board of Directors due to the Parliament. The Democratic Party abstains, in the name of an agreement stipulated with the rest of the oppositions which provided that, in the absence of organic reform of the governance of the service, there was no renewal of the board. M5S and AVS, on the contrary, vote for the members of the Board of Directors, considering the agreement lapsed on the basis of the fact that the reform proposals have been incardinated in the Senate.Schlein and Conte return to avoid. In the Senate, at the presentation of a Gimbe report, Schlein sits in the front row next to an empty chair with the name of Giuseppe Conte. The M5S leader witnesses the debate standing, far from the Dem secretary. Same scheme in Piazza Navona, at the demonstration against the DDL Security, and to the Court of Cassation, for the delivery of the signatures for the referendum against differentiated autonomy.

Thus, in front of the prospect of presenting himself in the Ligurian elections next to the Renzians and despite Schlein’s appeals to be “stubbornly unitary”, the Five Stars raise a wall. Italy Viva remains out of the center -left coalition. Losing. In November, in Emilia-Romagna and Umbria, Italy Viva presents its candidates, but not the symbol. The center-left wins, but the M5S stops even below five percent (4.7 in Umbria and 3.5 in Emilia-Romagna). Precisely by virtue of the victories in the regional elections, the dem currents seem dormant. All, except for the popular and Catholic component who is preparing to baptize “democratic community” baptize. The name is evocative of a new internal political area of ​​the dem.

Baptism, on January 18 in Milan, is chaired by Romano Prodi and sees the intervention of Ernesto Maria Ruffini. A presence that rekindles the debate on the Center Feder. Beppe Sala, driven by a piece of liberal component of the Democratic Party, worked on the role of Federator, after the shipwreck of third place. But also Renzi himself who applies to represent the moderate and center -left center -left wing. The 2025 presents itself for the secretary less rich in electoral challenges, but no less demanding in terms of strengthening its position in a Democratic Party where the currents seem to return to organizing themselves and in an center -left that witnesses a succession of autonomous initiatives of Giuseppe Conte, such as the mobilization announced against the government. In addition to this, there is the vote of Genoa, with the Democratic Party who found in Silvia Salis a civic candidate capable of putting the whole center -left field; In Campania, citizens will have to choose Vincenzo De Luca’s successor. The Marche region, governed by Fdi, where the Democratic Party feels he can win. Schlein and companions, then, must defend Puglia and Tuscany. The ‘prohibited’ dream is called Veneto, Fortino della Lega. Finally, the special region of the Aosta Valley governed by Union Valdotaine.