Renzi calls for center-left unity and asks Conte for guarantees to defeat Meloni

An appeal to the centrists and reformists of FI to join Italia Viva and the relaunch of Giuseppe Conte's address with the request for three precise "guarantees" to consolidate the centre-left alliance. In a river speech at the end of his Leopolda, the party event, Matteo Renzi warned about the future of the country and reiterated the need for the center-left to be united: what is at stake "is to send Giorgia Meloni home and the only salvation for the center-right is for the center-left to divide. We must avoid it".

There are three "guarantees" that the leader wants to ask Conte: "never again Salvini at the Interior Ministry, never again Giorgetti in the Council of Ministers, and that we will never - he was keen to underline - on Donald Trump's side. I am asked for guarantees - he said again - in politics there are no guarantees". On the other hand, he added, lowering his tone, "the reflections that Conte makes are understandable and I would like to send out a branch of peace. Elly Schlein, however, is the least suitable person to act as guarantor for me. A serious program, a German-style contract" provides the guarantee.

And "just as we ask for guarantees, we are available to give guarantees - he assured -. But if we accept the logic of the primaries, we go all the way with the logic of the primaries. Then naturally we name a name and call the person closest to us to the primaries". From the Leopolda stage, Renzi underlined that "the other time Meloni won because the centre-left was divided into three: if we are united this time we will win". Today, according to the former prime minister, Meloni "is at a crossroads: either she goes to the Quirinale or she goes home. I say this to those who think that the Italian debate is linked to the egos of the centre-left, the game doesn't concern us, it's a dry one. I work so that at the crossroads Meloni takes the direction to go home. At the moment I don't care who is the prime minister, the minister". Another request for a guarantee is to "send to the Quirinale a person who is neither a sovereignist nor a populist, but a pro-European. We give a guarantee on the primaries, on the Quirinale, on the fact that we will never lower the flag of guaranteeism". Then Renzi addressed "all the centrists: my great appeal goes to the reformists, in particular of Forza Italia: leave the party and come with us, you cannot be with those who deny Europe. The doors are open and I am sure that some signals will arrive shortly". And, he further assured: "Italia Viva will be there in the next legislature and we will be decisive for the election of the Quirinale and for the next Italian semester of European presidency. We are not asking M5s or Avs to take us to Parliament if we do not get the votes and I will not be in the majority prize with the safe place".

The appeal for center-left unity, and to act quickly, was also invoked on several occasions by the president of the Democratic Party Stefano Bonaccini, who spoke today at Leopolda before Renzi's conclusions. "To those who still have doubts in a challenge that will be either us or them - said Bonaccini -, to those who feel equidistant, I ask: do you think that I am worth Vannacci and Elly Schlein is worth Meloni? But what still has to happen, beyond some differences, to unite us and send them home? We must win so as not to run the risk of finding Meloni at the Quirinale and Vannacci at Palazzo Chigi. Now it would be good to stop talking about primaries for a few weeks, it's time for program, once we have written it, signed it with a blood pact, then we will choose how to choose the leadership."