Alfieri (PD): "On excesses, he is right, they can be harmful. But civil rights matter"

Alessandro Alfieri, a member of Italy's Democratic Party (PD), addressed concerns about the "woke" culture, suggesting it risks becoming a boomerang for the left. He noted that in the United States, the "woke" agenda became a central theme in the last election, pushing some Democratic voters towards Donald Trump due to perceived "exasperation."

“

The respect for other religions and other cultures does not come from the cancellation of one's own traditions and one's own symbols.

Alfieri believes Italy does not have the same "woke" excesses as the U.S., but acknowledged a potential risk of being perceived as solely focused on specific battles. He emphasized the PD's ongoing commitment to economic and social issues, such as the minimum wage and support for low-paid workers, highlighting joint initiatives with the Five Star Movement and other allies in Parliament.

“

We have already been fighting for some time on economic and social agenda issues: the minimum wage, support for the lowest salaries in Europe, resources for public healthcare. And we are doing so with common initiatives with the Five Star Movement and allies in Parliament.

He stressed the importance of maintaining balance, stating that a society progresses by fighting for both civil rights and economic/social rights. A lopsided focus, he warned, could lead to electoral losses. Alfieri also referenced Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's self-criticism regarding "woke" battles, suggesting that the center-left globally must recognize the pressing demand for protection and security. The PD's efforts on fuel costs and safety align with this, he said.

“

A society advances if it fights for civil rights as well as economic and social rights. If you lean too far one way or the other, you risk not doing well and paying for it electorally.

However, Alfieri cautioned against swinging too far in the opposite direction, urging vigilance on civil rights, especially with discussions around potentially challenging the concept of femicide as a crime. He suggested that excesses related to "woke" culture may have created fertile ground for figures like Roberto Vannacci, citing the controversy over nativity scenes in schools as an example of an excessive approach that undermines respect for other cultures by erasing one's own traditions.

“

If Ocasio-Cortez, the most convinced of those battles, is self-critical, it says a lot about how the center-left at every latitude must realize that the response to the pressing demand for protection is central today.