Regionals, three lists for the presidential candidate, but the IV issue and Calenda’s stakes remain. And Orlando urges Renzi: “We also need coherence..”

The objective is there, more or less declared, and it is to close the Ligurian coalition game once and for all by 6 pm on Sunday, when the PD secretariat Elly Schlein will go on stage at the Festa Nazionale de l’Unità in Reggio Emilia to close the event and launch the autumn campaign focusing on the regional election and the government’s troubles.

At the moment, however, in the construction of the Ligurian broad field expected on the ballot paper of the next Regionals the centrist knot remains. Above all in the Italia Viva quota, partly in the Azione quota, where the Roman meeting of the parliamentarians yesterday had among the points of discussion precisely the form to give to the support of the party of Charles Calenda to the Ligurian coalition, and from where the confirmation of the “will to close the agreement” came.

Here’s why the presidential candidate issued a warning last night Andrea Orlando («A lot of forces have converged on my candidacy, not all of them, there are no reservations but there is a coalition that is discussing which figure can unite the most and broaden the most and it is right to respect that work, but also to urge that that work be concluded quickly»), this is why the organizational machine of the field, in the PD as in M5s, Avs and in the left-wing lists in the Region, has already received the «Full steam ahead» towards the electoral campaign, regardless of the agreement still to be found at the center.

In the Democratic Party, in particular, even in the minority, where the theme of reuniting with the reformist wings lost along the way is more “felt”, the prevailing thought is one. «We took a run-up with the nomination of the presidential candidate, now we really can’t stop anymore: further slowdowns would be incomprehensible, in front of a center-right in crisis», a regional Democratic leader makes it clear, among the many busy in these hours weaving the web with allies and possible allies. As if to say, in short, that the line has been dictated, by now, and any new about-faces by Calenda and (above all) Renzi would not be problems for the forces of the field. And the basic efforts should be dedicated to everything else, in short, regardless of the uncertainty about the alliances: structures, candidacies, electoral lists. First of all, the three civic lists under construction directly linked to the presidential candidate.

The lists of the various parties are already being prepared, not without the inevitable tensions of the case, in the Democratic Party and beyond, it is after all precisely from the composition of the president’s lists that the solution to the centrist knot will pass. Supporting the candidacy of Andrea Orlando, on the ballot, will be three civic lists.

One, the one most closely linked to the presidential candidate, composed mostly of high-level figures from civil society, such as the former regional councillor for Sport Matthew Rossiout of politics for some years. Another of mayors and administrators of small local administrations (among these, Simone Franceschi e Paola Negromayors of Vobbia and Pieve Ligure). Another, still to be set up, of moderate forces: a list to “expand” to the center, with representatives of parties and not only. The one that still lacks a form, in fact, still stuck on the incompatibility between Azione and Italia Viva, the “suspended” allies. In front of which, yesterday, Orlando himself from the national party celebration in Reggio Emilia sent new messages, beating the time to the coalition.

“My candidacy has been talked about for many months, there has been a convergence of many forces but not of the entire coalition, we need to see if it is determined or if instead we find a figure capable of producing it”. Just a warning, a “solicitation”, in reality, but with precise recipients.

“There is no knot to untie, in reality, I do not see any programmatic or political impossibilities – is Orlando’s thought – Of course I am only one piece of the reasoning. The more comprehensive reasoning must be done by the political forces that I invite once again to proceed with a certain speed because what happened in Liguria should not be underestimated, which is not only a judicial affair”.

“The Ligurian agreement lacks a center component that I believe should find its own space and balance and that I believe should make a contribution. In a phase of reconstruction of a democracy that has become ill, it is not so much the problem of how many votes each brings, but that all the cultural components that make up the center-left can have a fundamental role”.

And then, again, on the rekindling of the flame with former party comrades. “Renzi’s season was a late edition of the third way, when in the rest of Europe it was already being questioned. I’m not interested in regrets, but in a serious discussion on what to do: The fundamental issue, and this is what we should discuss, not on summer interviews or football matches, is: are we close or far on what to do? If we argue on that ground, people will understand us, otherwise no one will understand us anymore. Of course, consistency is also needed, if you ally yourself on one side with the right you cannot ally yourself with the left on the other side, but this is the basic logic”.

If the agreement with Iv is still to be found, and the farewell to the Bucci council in Genoa of the Renzian exponents of the council continues to be a question mark, Calenda’s position, in all this, is instead known. This is why the PD is counting on closing at least with him by Sunday.

“It will be the millionth time I explain that we are not in the broad field, we cannot agitate anyone. I would write “stay calm” but given Schlein’s new acquaintances it would be indelicate to do so”, the former minister stung yesterday on the subject. But on his part the will to be part of the coalition remains, and “the conditions” to close the agreement have already been presented: a non-judicial campaign, a shared vision on the infrastructure issue, no preclusions on the inevitable institutional relations that the Region will have to have on certain issues with Mayor Marco Bucci in Genoa. “We have already developed a platform that talks about the future of Liguria and not about Toti’s trials”, is the message that Orlando sent on the subject yesterday, not by chance.

The big question mark, therefore, remains the only coexistence with Iv. Also because, among the local representatives of Azione, there are those who say it clearly: «We will not act in any way as a front for the Renzi candidates». The third list in support of the presidential candidate, in short, is still to be built.