Rome – Even before Italy’s center-left coalition has truly taken shape, it is already beginning to falter. An open dispute has broken out between the leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, and the chairwoman of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, over the direction and leadership of the so-called „campo largo,“ the broad progressive camp. Once again, the trigger is their stance on the war in Ukraine.
Conte made it clear that his movement would not support military aid for Kyiv. He argued that this foreign policy impasse should be resolved through primaries. Schlein immediately rejected this: “That’s not how it works,” she said. First, she argued, there needs to be a platform supported by the entire alliance; only then could primaries follow—because whoever wins them would have to lead the entire coalition, not just their own party.
Dispute Over the Agenda, Leadership, and Ukraine
Behind the verbal sparring lies a fundamental conflict. The Democrats are committed to military aid for Ukraine, while the Five Star Movement is calling for a clear break from arms deliveries and greater diplomatic initiative. Added to this are differences over military buildup and specific infrastructure projects. Other players are also getting involved: Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is pushing for swift primaries but is demanding a binding pact beforehand, while an influential representative of the Democrats is advocating for a moderate, centrist pillar within the coalition.
The ruling parties are relishing the dispute. A deputy prime minister accused Schlein of remaining silent on Conte’s remarks and demanded clarity on which side the left is taking in the Ukraine conflict.
It is noteworthy that the dispute is raging despite what is, in principle, a favorable starting position: In polls, the broad center-left bloc, taken together, is narrowly ahead of the governing coalition. But without a unified strategy and without a clear leadership, this potential remains purely theoretical. Schlein urged the coalition not to get bogged down in internal power struggles but to focus on the government’s weaknesses. It remains to be seen whether the coalition partners will follow this advice.
