Elly Schlein is with the abstention in France. The secretary of the Democratic Party says that the choice to avoid triangulations between Rassemblement National, New Popular Front and Ensemble is right. And she hopes for the same solution in Italy. “I have just heard from Olivier Faure and Raphael Glucksmann. They said: where we are third, we withdraw the candidates. I think it is right that Macron’s candidates do the same and I find the choice of the French Republicans, who are part of the EPP, not to give voting instructions disconcerting”, she says today in an interview with The print. Schlein speaks of a positive surprise regarding the Popular Front’s success: «And I am struck by the data of the new generations, who reward it with over 40 percent under 24 years of age. It reminded me of our result in the European elections, first among the under 30s and in the South, and it gave me hope».
Elly’s Hope
But there is the problem of convincing centrist voters to vote for the left and vice versa. Schlein is optimistic about this: “We are talking about a plural field that, faced with the risk of a far-right government, manages to put the battles that unite at the forefront: social justice, ecological conversion, decent work, rights.” In other words, what the Italian center-left has not been able to do so far: “I hope there is a starting point to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. The time for vetoes is over, it is time to bring together our differences around a credible and solid alternative.” And then, he says, “we are already doing it. The day they approved the premiership at first reading, we held a united demonstration that for me was the most emotional demonstration after the 123 of the electoral campaign. On concrete issues, we can build the coalition that beats Giorgia Meloni.”
The administrative elections
The Democratic Party secretary says that «in the administrative elections, united, we won in six out of six regional capitals, also electing three mayors. We presented credible candidates based on a shared program on health, social care, public schools, nurseries, an ecological conversion that takes businesses and workers by the hand without leaving anyone behind, clean energy, rights». And again: «The European elections have provided us with a clear picture: the Democratic Party is the linchpin of the construction of an alternative to the right, but it does not feel self-sufficient. We have never vetoed other forces. And now we are no longer willing to suffer them».
The referendum for autonomy
The next step is the referendums on Autonomy: «With the other political and social forces we are preparing to collect signatures for the abrogative referendum, but I can already announce that we will bring the request for a referendum to the councils of the Regions in which we govern». Then she explains why she went to the march in Latina: «Satnam Singh is not dead, he was killed by a structural system of exploitation and gangmastering. More resources are needed for full implementation of the law against gangmastering, protection systems for those who have the courage to report. And we need to rewrite the Bossi-Fini law that has been creating irregularities for more than twenty years because it does not provide legal and safe access routes. If there are second-class workers, the protections, wages, and rights of all are dragged down. This is why we are also continuing to collect signatures for the law on minimum wage. We are the European country that needs it most».
