ROME – Elly Schlein, former vice-president of the Emilia Romagna region, announced her candidature for the position of leader of the Democratic Party (PD) at a conference in the Casal Bertone area. 

 At the “Parte da noi” event Sunday evening Schlein put forth her official application as secretary of PD.

 “Our vision of the future starts from three crucial challenges - inequalities, climate and precariousness. The right-wingers don't talk about it, it's as if they lived in another country,” Schlein said. “If we do it together, I'm here, I won't back down, let's build this candidacy together to demonstrate that I can become the secretary of the new Democratic Party. Together with you I want to become the secretary of the new Democratic Party.”

 She proceeded by referring critically to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s leadership, claiming “she already showed her true identity” with a manoeuvre “against the poor”, while also highlighting the Brothers of Italy leader’s lack of  pro-woman reforms, “not all female leaders are feminists.”

 Moving onto the Democratic Party she stated the failure of the neo liberal movement  and appealed to the need for a “new PD” which can “keep the community together and safeguard its pluralism, its diversity, but without giving up a clear, understandable and coherent identity.”

 Schlein concluded her speech by calling out Matteo Renzi for his alleged responsibility for the present state of PD. “Renzi has the merit of pushing me and many others out of the Democratic Party with his arrogant management. He reduced the Democratic Party to rubble and then left.”

 Stefano Bonaccini, the current governor of Emilia Romagna, and MP Paola De Micheli will run against Schlein for the position of Secretary for PD.

 The first run of primary elections will held be on Feb. 19. Current PD leader Enrico Letta is not expected to run again after the party nose-dived in the last general election.

 fp