Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – La notizia arriva alla fine dell’intervento. Elly Schlein davanti all’Assemblea nazionale Pd, riunita alla Nuvola, ufficializza la corsa a palazzo Chigi. “Io sono pronta, determinata, onorata e orgogliosa di poter guidare questa straordinaria comunità che non ha pari in Italia e di guidarla come candidata alla presidenza del Consiglio, con o senza primarie”, scandisce.
Quasi un gong che suona l’inizio della campagna elettorale. E la platea in sala risponde con una lunga standing ovation alla segretaria. Schlein nella relazione di oltre un’ora e mezza elenca problemi, ricorda le proposte avanzate dal Pd e attacca Giorgia Meloni più volte. Ma la critica più forte della segretaria del Pd alla premier si concretizza in una immagine.
Quella dei lavoratori e studenti chiamati sul palco della Nuvola ad aprire l’assemblea Dem. Un bagno di realtà. Quella realtà che la presidente del Consiglio, accusa Schlein, “non ascolta e ignora” e che anzi TeleMeloni cerca di oscurare. La segretaria del Pd invece la vuol rendere protagonista. Anche nella costruzione del programma del centrosinistra.
E, infatti, risponde subito di sì all’appello di Avs a una manifestazione unitaria su carovita, stipendi e giustizia sociale. Le proteste di questi giorni “sono una trasmissione che su Telemeloni non vedrete, stanno censurando le proteste, quindi ci è sembrato giusto ascoltarli noi e farli ascoltare da qui”. Un richiamo anche alla strettissima attualità con gli scontri delle scorse ore: “Noi non c’entriamo niente con i violenti e i delinquenti, abbiamo sempre condannato le violenze. Ma è inaccettabile che si usino i violenti per coprire la voce delle persone che pacificamente stanno protestando in tutta Italia”.
Schlein opened the meeting by claiming two goals achieved: the unity of the Democratic Party and the construction of a progressive alliance. "We are meeting right here at the Nuvola, where this journey began on March 12, 2023. We began a journey that we have carefully and passionately cultivated day after day, in our pluralism and our values. It's a short time. But if you like, it's also a different era, with the times of politics. We set ourselves two goals then. Two goals that we summarized in the sign behind me: unity of the Democratic Party and unity of the progressive alliance. And we can say with emotion and strength that we have achieved both of these goals. And we have achieved them together. Stubbornly united and united to change Italy," Schlein said, speaking under the large sign "Unity," the title of the initiative at the Nuvola.
"If we are the leading opposition force, we earned it through hard work, vote after vote, in the local communities. We have the responsibility of being the leading opposition party," says Schlein, acknowledging the work done on the alliances. "The work we've done in recent years should make us proud. Today, that alliance exists and governs in many regions and cities. Meanwhile, this alliance exists. It's been written that the center-left is the most competitive in Europe. We've patiently forged this unity day by day in the local communities; it's a journey that began three years ago, even when no one believed it was possible."
Schlein reiterates, as already emphasized at the last Democratic Party leadership meeting, that the Democrats are ready to work on the program but ask that all center-left forces be involved and that the program be discussed in and with the country. "We are ready; we can start right away. All we need is us, and we don't do it alone. The program must be built together with the entire progressive alliance that already governs together in the regions and with all those who want to contribute; that is, we can and must broaden, not narrow." He adds: "For us, it is essential that, together with our other allies, we find a way to ensure that this process isn't undertaken within party walls, but among the people, in dialogue with the productive sectors, trade unions, the third sector, and the associations, in dialogue with our mayors and administrators, who have so much to say in the programmatic construction of the alternative."
As he did in the Executive Committee, Schlein also said before the Assembly that he wants to get a few things off his chest. He continues: "They bet against us, they bet we'd split. Remember, in 2022, someone had already written the Democratic Party's obituary, and instead we've raised our heads. They bet we'd split, Stefano, but today the Democratic Party is more united than ever. They bet I wouldn't last six months, and instead I'm still here. In fact, it's the first time a Democratic Party secretary has finished her term." And then, a dig in which Schlein positions herself as the anti-underdog compared to Meloni, as the "non-standard" candidate: "I can only offer my personal aggravating circumstances: being a woman, being forty, being free, and not exactly conforming to all the standards. But I want to share some news: we are here doing exactly what our people expect of us. And if anyone doesn't accept that the Democratic Party is free, autonomous, and accountable only to its membership and voter base, they'll have a terrible time. Because if their standards were valid, this isn't the country; I would never have gotten here. And I think this will be the challenge of redemption for all those who have always been told they can't do it, that they're not up to par."
Schlein is sounding the alarm to his supporters ahead of the election campaign. "Don't worry if they attack us; they've understood that we mean business. It's right that those who want us to remain in this country are afraid; it's right that they are afraid of us, those who hold privileges they're unwilling to question. That's why they're attacking us, and look, they'll continue to attack us more and more as we approach the elections, but I'm telling you, don't be afraid, because the results we've achieved so far speak for us." And he continues: "We're holding on to our sincere political passion for changing things, for changing the country in a selfless way. That there's a segment of the establishment that doesn't want a progressive alliance governing the country is nothing new; it's part of this country's history; we'll be the surprise this time, and that there's Palazzo Chigi right there, right there, for those who don't want a leftist; it's nothing new; it's part of this country's history, but we're here to surprise them."
"First the common program, and then we'll deal with leadership, because whoever leads must lead the entire progressive alliance, not just their own party. Holding primaries is also fine; we're not afraid of democracy and the vote. If we hold them, we'll hold them as a great popular celebration; we're certainly not afraid of them," says Schlein, announcing a large assembly of all Democratic Party mayors at the end of November: "I'm pleased to announce that on November 27th and 28th, the largest assembly of the Democratic Party will be held for the second time, dedicated entirely to our mayors, our male and female administrators. There's a reason we represent the majority of mayors in Italy: we're good at governing. Because we represent a ruling class spread from north to south to the islands, and we're running together, we're running together to also contribute to the progressive alliance's program, and above all, we're running together with this spirit to govern the country." “In recent days, the Meloni government has done so much to sell as a victory what was a rebuke from the European Commission, and today it finds itself doing what we have been asking for since April, namely a cap on the price of gas, as had been done in Spain. So, since Meloni recently attacked me because she said I took too many days to respond to her attacks, if she had responded to our proposal six months ago it would not have been such a bloodbath on Italian families and businesses,” says Schlein and, speaking of Spain, Pedro Sanchez adds: “We send all our support to Pedro Sanchez, whom I also thank for his support and to whom I want to say something clear: you are not alone, and there is a reason why they are unleashing everything on you. They are doing it because you have demonstrated that the progressive recipe works for the people, unlike theirs.”
We are the new thing, a competitive and united progressive alliance that will beat them in the next elections. They changed the electoral law because they're afraid of losing. But I have news for you: we will win with this too. Acknowledge your failure, stop floating around; the sooner we go to the polls, the better it will be for Italy,” Schlein pleaded. Then he took a swipe at the Meloni government: “This is the longest-serving and most inconclusive government. What an opportunity Giorgia Meloni has squandered. With those numbers in Parliament, she could have done anything, she could have made bold reforms, but she failed to implement one that would have concretely improved the lives of Italians who are in the streets today, poorer and more angry than ever before, and they must not be criminalized.” Schlein says: "The questions filling the streets these past weeks are real, different, but true. They have one thing in common: they ask politicians to take responsibility for making concrete choices that can provide answers to students, workers, and producers, as we heard this morning. The government is ignoring these voices. It's not their fault that gasoline prices are skyrocketing, it's not their fault or that of students that rents have become unaffordable in many of our cities. The government must provide concrete answers. I ask Giorgia Meloni to do this. Instead, if she found herself thanking the major energy companies after the videos and the gas station attendants, she should thank them for the sacrifices they've made in recent months, despite all the difficulties."
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