Lucrezia Ciotti The political feud between Giuseppe Conte and Luigi Di Maio has reignited over the former prime minister's new book, which provides behind-the-scenes insights into key moments in recent Italian politics. Previews of the book, due out tomorrow, have sparked a heated public response, transforming the book's launch into a renewed clash within and outside the Five Star Movement.
The clash over Giuseppe Conte's book and anecdotes about Palazzo Chigi and the Quirinale
Giuseppe Conte 's new book , titled "A New Spring. My Story, Our Values, the Progressive Challenge for Italy ," has sparked a political controversy that directly involves Luigi Di Maio. As reported by Adnkronos , previews of the book have reopened the debate on some internal dynamics within the Five Star Movement and key moments in Italy's recent institutional history , particularly Sergio Mattarella's re-election to the Quirinale.
Among the background information reported, Conte recounts a meeting between political figures to break the stalemate in the presidential election. The excerpt reads: "On January 28th... we agreed to a three-way meeting: Enrico Letta, Matteo Salvini, and myself ." At that stage, Elisabetta Belloni's proposal is also mentioned as a shared figure, but it was later opposed by several political actors.
The text also contains references to tensions with Mario Draghi, Beppe Grillo, and other figures such as Matteo Renzi and Lorenzo Guerini, described as protagonists of subsequent opposition to the agreement.
During the book presentation at the Temple of Hadrian in Rome, Conte responded to the critics by saying: “ I was very surprised that, given everything that's happening in the Middle East, Di Maio had the time to read today's press review. But he needs to read the whole book to get a more complete impression . ”
Luigi Di Maio's social media response and the controversy over the "wide field"
The previews provoked an immediate reaction from Luigi Di Maio , currently the European Union Special Representative for the Persian Gulf , who shared his response in a series of Instagram stories. According to his interpretation, some of the reconstructions contained in the book portray a distorted picture of the facts , especially regarding his role in Mattarella's re-election and his relations with Mario Draghi.
Di Maio emphasized: " a terrible lapse in style, given that one of the protagonists... can no longer be involved in a cross-examination , " referring to sociologist Domenico De Masi. He also proudly claimed his own participation in the institutional passages cited by Conte, describing his relations with Mattarella and Draghi as " deeply proud ." In a further passage, he accused the former prime minister of political inconsistency, highlighting how several of the so-called " conspirators " cited in the book are now allies of the so-called "broad camp," along with the Democratic Party and other forces such as those led by Elly Schlein, Vincenzo De Luca, and Clemente Mastella. Di Maio also challenged the book's narrative structure , stating that Conte portrays himself as a victim while, in political practice, he cooperates with the same individuals criticized . His conclusion is clear: " The difference is that in his book he portrays himself as a victim of these people. In reality, he governs us together . "
During the presentation, Conte then expanded on the center-left, explaining that the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, and the Alliance of the Greens and the Left already represent a common starting point for future programmatic alliances, although without automatic decisions regarding the government's leadership role. He also reiterated that he does not consider himself in a personal conflict with Beppe Grillo , while confirming that he is ready to defend himself in the legal dispute over the Movement's symbol.
🔴 Luigi #DiMaio attacks Giuseppe Conte: "In his book, he tells a false story about me and Mario Draghi. Today, he is allied in the broader camp with the same 'Draghians' he accuses." @PolitikosIt pic.twitter.com/K7EjHHtbow
— Politikos (@politikosit) April 13, 2026