Impromptu alliances
Campaigning against Meloni’s judicial reforms was an easy rallying point for the opposition, as they could all pile on the prime minister for attacking independent state institutions.
In Rome’s Piazza Barberini on Monday night, opposition leaders and activists from several centrist and leftist parties gathered to celebrate a result few had considered likely just weeks earlier. Supporters waved party flags and chanted as leaders from across the political spectrum shared a stage in a rare display of unity.
But the fraternity shown on the piazza masked deeper divisions: The coalition that came together to defeat Meloni in the referendum remains far from agreeing on a common national program, or a shared candidate for prime minister. The on-again-off-again grouping often diverges sharply on issues such as military spending and support for Ukraine, as well as economic policy, with a significant gap between the radical populist left and the more centrist Democratic Party.
Schlein argued on Wednesday that the opposition must focus on concrete proposals. “We can’t just be against the government, we have to stand for things,” she said, before listing proposals on a minimum wage, a shorter working week and shared parental leave.
Schlein also pointed to recent regional and municipal successes, including in the southern regions of Campania and Puglia, as evidence that cooperation can translate into electoral wins. “We know we can do it because we have done it repeatedly over the past two years, put together a progressive coalition, and in some regions we have beaten the right.”
Nicola Fratoianni, leader of the Italian Left party, agreed that these alliances have been successful since the last general election — and said there was significant agreement among the opposition parties on topics such as a minimum wage, healthcare, the green transition and opposition to a NATO target of spending 5 per cent of economic output on defense.