Let’s build a proposal for Italy, but not alone says Schlein

Rome: The leader of the largest opposition party, Elly Schlein, of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), on Saturday said a new alliance was necessary to build an alternative for the country.

Addressing via video link a congress on “Building the alternative” organized by the PD’s Energia Popolare in Rome, the party’s leader stressed that, after regional elections in Emilia Romagna and Umbria won by centre-left candidates, “we will promote common battles with the other opposition” members and work for an “alliance with the country” to build a “proposal for Italy”, but “not on our own”.

She also called for European integration.

“We will relaunch European integration: we will preside over the priorities of the European Socialist Party and the Democratic Party”, said Schlein, adding that she would not back down during a “European legislature that appears to be very complicated”.

Addressing the same congress , the party’s President and MEP Stefano Bonaccini, the former governor of Emilia Romagna, called for a new centre-left alliance that “gives credibility to our opposition battle and, in particular, to an alternative proposal”.

He added that forming a 'broad field,' going from the Centre of the political spectrum to the Left "according to a case-by-case scheme is not sufficient anymore", noting that the PD did not intend to become self-sufficient or "hegemonic" but would not accept to be blackmailed by potential allies.

He also called for “primaries to choose the PD’s future parliamentary candidates”.