Partito Democratico secretary Elly Schlein used the party's national assembly at Rome's La Nuvola convention centre on 19 October 2026 to declare she is prepared to stand as the centre-left's candidate for prime minister, whether or not a primary election is held to choose the coalition leader.
"I am ready to lead this community and to lead it as a candidate for the presidency of the Council, with or without primaries," Schlein told delegates, framing the gathering as a decisive moment in the final stretch toward the next general election. She argued that the future of both Italy and the European Union hangs in the balance.
Schlein said the two objectives set at the party's March 2023 congress — internal unity and a united progressive alliance — have been achieved. She pointed to the PD's cohesion and its collaboration with the broader opposition, echoing Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte's call for an immediate political agreement on a common programme.
The secretary sharply criticised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government on wages, the cost-of-living crisis and youth employment. She also announced the opposition's willingness to stage a joint demonstration for social justice.
Voices from the periphery
After the national anthem, the assembly heard testimonies from a farmer in the Gargano region, a truck driver and a student — identified as Michele, Matteo and Sophie. Schlein highlighted their struggles with rising living costs, distinguishing peaceful protest from episodes of violence, which she condemned and said the party does not identify with.
PD president Stefano Bonaccini introduced the speakers, arguing that protests across Italy are frequently ignored by the media and that many households are unable to make ends meet.
Solidarity in Vibo Valentia; row over Perugia school programme
In a separate statement, the PD expressed solidarity with Antonio Iannello, the mayor of Vibo Valentia in Calabria, after he received a renewed death threat. The party urged investigators to continue probing an attack that occurred last Christmas.
Meanwhile, the right-wing group Futuro Nazionale protested a school programme on artificial intelligence in Perugia. The group's representatives, Manuela Puletti and Augusto Rossi, accused the PD of applying double standards in evaluating school activities, claiming progressive proposals are welcomed while traditional ones face opposition.
