Susanna Riva During the talk show "Accordi e Disaccordi" on the Italian channel Nove, Alessandro Di Battista made a series of harsh assessments of the current Italian political landscape. The former MP, a longtime arbiter of the Five Star Movement, pointed the finger at the leader of the Democratic Party, former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , and Elly Schlein 's secretary, calling their positions inconsistent and, in his view, potentially threatening the upcoming elections.
Di Battista's statements on Schlein, Conte, and the elections
Di Battista began by stating that "if she and Conte continue like this, they might as well not hold the elections." The reference is disturbing: according to the former Five Star Movement member, the ongoing antagonism between Schlein and Conte could push the entire electoral landscape into uncertainty, not even ruling out the possibility of the elections being postponed.
Furthermore, he recalled that Gianroberto – one of the founding minds of the Movement – had always made thematic choice a strong point, echoing a strategy that, in his opinion, is now overlooked.
Criticism of the Democratic Party and the Ukrainian line
The Democratic Party was described by Di Battista as demeaning for its incessant repetition of a “just peace” in Ukraine.
The commentator noted that, two years after the war, the Democratic Party's rhetoric has failed to produce concrete results and risks penalizing Giorgia Meloni 's leadership , which had already been favored for months. The key words in his complaint are: "The position on Ukraine is decisive," a statement that underscores how the position on Kyiv could become the deciding factor for voters.
Call for EU special envoy for Putin
A central point of the speech was the request for a European Union special envoy to initiate direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin . Di Battista repeatedly reiterated that "Putin also has his reasons" and that listening to those reasons is essential to any peace process. "For three years we have been calling for an EU special envoy," he emphatically stated, highlighting his frustration with the lack of concrete diplomatic initiatives from Brussels.
The background to the Five Star Movement and its original ideas
According to the former Five Star Movement representative, the Movement's true value was its ability to hammer home specific issues —reducing parliamentary salaries, abolishing public funding for newspapers, implementing a citizen's income, an anti-corruption law, and the fight against the political elite. Di Battista argued that Five Star voters no longer recognize these points, as discussions have dispersed over minor issues. "Those who voted for Five Star knew perfectly well that these were the issues they counted on," he recalled, lamenting the loss of focus.
Finally, the former MP cited the protests in France, linking them to school conditions and young people's fear of being drawn into future conflicts, thus reminding us that social tensions are not isolated but are manifesting themselves throughout Europe.