Former Prime Minister Romano Prodi does not like the idea of leading party leaders for the European elections, and he generally rejects multiple candidacies, the source of a democratic "vulnus". The message is read as a stop to the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein who is participating in a conference on David Sassoli with the professor, but without returning to the subject. The possibility that she will run as a driving force in the vote for the renewal of the European Parliament remains, as well as the entry into the field of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. With the exception of Matteo Renzi, all the other leaders – from Matteo Salvini to Giuseppe Conte – have already taken a step back.
Thus, after Prodi's statements, Carlo Calenda seized the opportunity and asked for "an overall agreement" from the other parties not to line up the leaders: "Enough with the flagship candidacies of the secretaries, let's start the campaign for the European elections on the right foot," he urged. The political leader of Azione expressly mentions the no's of Giuseppe Conte, Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani. And, in a close circle, the secretary of Più Europa, Riccardo Magi, joins the chorus: "In the game for the next European elections, more seriousness would be needed: we hope that only those who will really go to the European Parliament will run for office and not those who are already elected to the Italian Parliament or who even hold government positions. The EU is serious business and the European elections are not an internal poll of the countries."
Deputy Prime Minister and Italian leader Antonio Tajani expresses a not too dissimilar concept when he reiterates his "perplexity about the possibility of a candidacy, because when you are a minister you risk diverting attention from government activity". No scandal if you campaign, he argues, "it has already happened several times in the past. My concern is that I won't be able to devote myself 100% to government activity."
Last night Elly Schlein replied to those who asked her what she intended to do: "I'll wait before I see if we can build a list open to civil society." And even today in his entourage no one is unbalanced in one direction or the other. But a member of parliament close to her explains that the possibility of her running in the European elections at the moment is still concrete. Despite the fact that criticism and dissenting voices are growing in the party day by day. And the concern about "the protest vote and abstentionism" expressed by Schlein during the conference that celebrated Sassoli in the Capitol could motivate his candidacy. Along with the crucial challenge of "stopping the black wave" in Europe.
And Giorgia Meloni? She has not yet dissolved the reservation either, but "there are reasons to run for office - says a source within Fratelli d'Italia - For example, Giorgia is the president of ECR and a vote for her would strengthen that reality in Europe. There is certainly pressure from outside the party not to do so, but at the same time there are many reasons that push in the opposite direction." In such a scenario, a sort of two-way contest between the leader of the main ruling party and the secretary of the main opposition force in Parliament would be looming at the polls. Who, before the vote, in any case will be the two protagonists of a first face-to-face confrontation on television.
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