Campo Largo: Conte gives Ricci the green light, voting in the Marche region continues, but government is under consideration.

Giuseppe Conte has given the green light to Matteo Ricci 's candidacy for president of the Marche Region. This is a very important political move for at least two reasons. First, because the race for the presidency of the Marche region is crucial to the outcome of the November elections. The other regions going to the polls are three center-left ( Puglia, Campania , and Tuscany ) and one center-right, Veneto. The results in these regions, barring any unexpected developments, are fairly predictable. The left-leaning regions will remain left-leaning ; Veneto is protected by the right, largely thanks to Zaia's popularity and work. The Marche region, currently governed by the right, is the only region open to challenge, and the center-left, led by Ricci, can win it only with the support of the Five Star Movement. If Conte had backed out, or had advanced the unacceptable proposal to change candidates, the game would have been over and the right would have been guaranteed a second victory.

The second reason why Conte's green light is so significant is the motivation. That is, the merit of the statement he made yesterday morning during the press conference. Conte said: " There is no evidence to support his guilt, to call for a resignation. Calling for a resignation would set a bad precedent, and the Five Star Movement has chosen to rigorously uphold the principles of good politics: respect for the law and public ethics." What does this mean? It's the first time the leader of the Five Star Movement has made a statement in line with the general principles of due process. And this is something that undermines, perhaps irreversibly, the distinctly populist nature that characterized the birth and much of the life of the Five Star Movement.

The "broad field," which on paper has the potential to defeat the center-right with any electoral law, contained a profound contradiction. This was the unnatural juxtaposition between the Democratic Party's socialist, liberal, and Christian roots and the Five Star Movement's populist origins. On many issues, especially social policy and international politics, the Five Star Movement had aligned itself with the left's positions, often even leapfrogging the Democratic Party on the left ( citizen's income, pacifism ). On justice, however, this was not the case: despite the Democratic Party's many judicial shifts, a huge gap remained. Conte's stance partially builds a bridge. However, the movement's leader has clarified that this choice in favor of Ricci is not automatically transferable to other regions. This leaves open, above all, the question of Tuscany, where several segments of the Movement oppose the candidacy of Eugenio Giani , promoted by the Democratic Party. But this uncertainty does not concern principles, rather it has to do with the negotiations and the balance of power between the various parties and the different currents of the alliance.

The Campania issue also remains open, where a segment of the Democratic Party ( De Luca ) opposes the candidacy of Five Star Movement leader Roberto Fico, but you'll see an agreement eventually. And the Puglia issue, where the conflict is entirely internal to the Democratic Party, between former governor Emiliano and successor candidate Decaro. Can we say that yesterday a step was taken toward the construction of Campo Largo? A step has certainly been taken. On the one hand, internal problems remain, the competition between the two major parties in the alliance, and leadership issues. On the other, there are still differences both on the issue of immigration, where a segment of the Five Star Movement—and Conte in particular—holds very moderate positions, and on the issues of security and prisons. But the path is open. And the gaps between the parties are closing. This isn't good news for Giorgia Meloni.

FROM

Piero Sansonetti