Politics · Italy · 2 hrs ago
Conte seeks guarantees over Renzi as Italian centre-left seeks unity
Italian centre-left parties are discussing whether to work together in a broad alliance.
Giuseppe Conte, who leads the Five Star Movement, said he is not vetoing former prime minister Matteo Renzi but wants guarantees about Renzi’s role.
Conte said Renzi’s presence could cost his party support.
Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein replied that the alliance must not repeat the divisions of 2022, which she said helped the right win.
The leaders also differ on support for Ukraine, though Conte and Schlein said they believe they can reach an agreement.
They say the alliance should work on a shared programme before settling questions such as who would lead it.
Schlein is open to holding leadership primaries, while Conte and Nicola Fratoianni of the Green and Left Alliance stressed that winning a primary should not give someone control over the programme.
Giuseppe Conte asked Elly Schlein for guarantees about Matteo Renzi’s place in Italy’s opposition alliance, while saying he was not vetoing Renzi’s inclusion.
Conte said Renzi’s presence weakens him electorally because his political community is uncomfortable with it.
Schlein replied that her guarantee to voters was that the opposition would not repeat the divisions of 2022.
The two leaders also said they believed an agreement on Ukraine could be reached, though foreign policy remains a point of disagreement within the alliance.
Conte said his party would support the alliance even if someone else became its lead candidate.
- Who
- Giuseppe Conte of the Five Star Movement and Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein.
- What
- Conte sought guarantees from Schlein about Matteo Renzi’s role in the opposition alliance, while Schlein stressed unity and avoiding a repeat of the 2022 divisions.
- When
- 11 October 2026.
- Where
- At events in Rome, including Fanpage’s Rumore festival and a Confesercenti forum.
- Why
- Conte said Renzi’s presence weakens him electorally and that his political community is uncomfortable with it.
Giuseppe Conte
Elly Schlein
Renzi’s role
Giuseppe Conte
Conte said he was not imposing a veto but wanted guarantees and safeguards concerning Renzi’s inclusion.
Elly Schlein
Schlein said her guarantee to voters was that the opposition would not repeat the divisions of 2022.
Alliance priorities
Giuseppe Conte
Conte raised concerns about the alliance’s composition and its effects on electoral support.
Elly Schlein
Schlein said the focus should be the alliance’s vision and unity, rather than its boundaries.
quella di Renzi è una presenza che mi depotenzia sul piano elettorale perché la mia comunità dovunque vada la soffre
L’unica garanzia che posso dare è che non si rifaranno gli errori del 2022, di fare un favore alle destre di dividerci e di consegnare loro la vittoria
Il conflitto si complica perché Trump fa addirittura un accordo diretto con Putin bypassando l’Ucraina e l’Unione europea e ci ritroviamo completamente isolati e spiazzati da questa iniziativa che oggettivamente è irresponsabile oggi, perché va a favorire l’aggressore rispetto al Paese aggredito
Conte and other opposition figures took part in a group photo opportunity at the Manifesto festival, according to ANSA.
Conte and Schlein spoke at Fanpage’s Rumore festival and later at a Confesercenti event.
Conte asked Schlein for guarantees concerning Renzi’s place in the alliance, and Schlein said the opposition must avoid repeating the divisions of 2022.
- Conte’s party
- Five Star Movement
- Democratic Party leader
- Elly Schlein
- Person at issue
- Matteo Renzi
- Date of reports
- 11 October 2026
- Events mentioned
- Fanpage’s Rumore festival; Confesercenti forum
Sources
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