Schlein, that taboo that not even Renzi dared to break for a few votes –

Augusto Minzolini

April 22, 2024

In the end Ely Schlein gave in to temptation and broke a taboo that only Walter Veltroni had broken before her to oppose Silvio Berlusconi: her name in the symbol of the Democratic Party. With Walter it didn’t go well against the Cavaliere, we’ll see if it goes better in Ely in the duel against Giorgia Meloni. It is certainly a break with the past given that excess leadership has always been viewed with suspicion on the left. Once upon a time it was even considered an accusation, a sin, a sacrilege. Times have changed and the innovations of others are also adopted in these parts. After all, the left has no longer been hegemonic for some time. Thus the sobriety and modesty of the various Prodi, Rutelli, Bersani, Renzi ended up in the attic and now the party, it seems, will wage its battle under the banner of Schlein. Maybe the surname as it is written doesn’t help you, you give the impression that the elections take place in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. But it matters little given that in the north-east the “United States of Europe”, so to speak, the Renzi-Bonino list, presents the Englishman Graham Watson with England which is not even in the EU. These, however, are frivolities. What matters is the pragmatism of the Democratic Party secretary, the answer she gave to the always valid dilemma of whether it benefits me or it doesn’t.

Weighing up the “pros” and “cons”, Schlein, unless, as is her habit, she thinks twice about it, concluded that the name in the symbol helps her for several reasons. The reasons are multiple. First of all, some pollsters (see Ghisleri) have convinced her that with her on the list the Democratic Party will gain half a point or a few decimals. And then the choice also has the flavor of a revenge: Schlein would have liked to run as leader in all the constituencies, but three-quarters of the party, starting with the women, did not spare her a resounding “niet”. The name in the symbol is a sort of revenge, a way to remember after many stumbles that she is still the leader: to her opponent Meloni, to her competitor in the wide field Giuseppe Conte, but above all to her party which had already begun to dream Paolo Gentiloni. It is a high-risk choice – he is aware of it. If the elections went badly he would have no alibi, they would blame the defeat on him just like Walter did 15 years ago. But ultimately he has nothing to lose, his enemies would do the same in the event of defeat with Schlein in the symbol or not. And if you look closely into things you realize that Elly, beyond her radical chic image and her penchant for color scheme, is more cunning than she seems. She did the math. Veltroni on her behalf lost the politics in a direct clash with the Cav. The European elections are another thing: the duel with Meloni for Schlein is just an image, a narrative, what is important for her is to add a few points to the data of the latest policies.

An achievable objective given that the Democratic Party’s electorate is the most attentive to the Strasbourg Parliament, certainly more than the Grillini (Furbizio Conte with cabbage showed up) and in some ways even than the other parties. Matteo Renzi got 40% in the vote for Strasbourg, not for the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies. Meditate people. Schlein probably did it and certainly her “make or break” attitude in the European elections is less risky for her than a PD congress. Indeed, if she managed to get that extra point, if she exceeded the fateful threshold of 20% she would silence all her opponents. In short, it may seem strange but hers is a calculated risk suggested by the survival instinct. Then the policies could also go differently because a PD with the name of Schlein will have a more marked identity on the left, the reformist area will be more marginalized and the party’s ability to represent the moderate classes will be even more labile. But Schlein, who now risks the secretary’s seat, is interested in today, not tomorrow. And you are even less interested in the tradition and history of the left in its various phases and the cry of pain of the Fathers of the past such as Romano Prodi who have always had the decency to respect certain principles. After all, in history it is not the first time that someone has put traditions, principles and fathers at the stake in order to survive.