Interview with Renzi: 'Silvia Salis? She's a strong name for the primaries. Between Schlein and Conte, it's just a war of position.'

Matteo Renzi, the leader of Italia Viva, asserts that his party is the crucial missing piece for the center-left coalition to achieve electoral victory, declaring that without them, the alliance "loses." Renzi dismissed the ongoing friction between Elly Schlein of the Democratic Party and Giuseppe Conte of the Five Star Movement as simple "positioning," suggesting that Conte cannot afford to break the alliance due to internal party pressures.

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The name of our candidate for the primaries is the last of my thoughts and problems.

Renzi argued that the coalition's current strength, comprising the PD, M5S, and Avs, stands at 38%, which he deems insufficient to win. He pointed to past electoral failures when parties went it alone, contrasting them with successes achieved through unity, such as in Genoa. "If we want to win, unity is needed," Renzi stated, warning that a failure to unite would allow Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to secure another term and influence the presidency.

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Without us they lose. We reformists are not part of the Campo largo, which is formed by Pd, M5S and Avs. Mathematics says that without us they don't make it: when they went alone, like in Liguria, they lost. When they removed the vetoes we won together, like in Genoa. If we want to win, unity is needed.

Regarding potential leadership, Renzi put forward Silvia Salis, the mayor of Genoa, as a "strong name" to lead their primary challenge. He stressed that Salis, who combines organized party support with personal influence, needs to be supported rather than pressured. Renzi also touched upon foreign policy, advocating for continued logistical support to Ukraine and a unified European approach to diplomacy, while questioning large defense expenditures driven by geopolitical interests rather than strategic necessity.

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Pure positioning. Conte cannot but be in the coalition. Also because if he were to break the alliance, the Movement would split and his regional presidents in Sardinia and Campania would fall.

Renzi emphasized that investments in defense should prioritize research and development with civilian applications, citing the internet, lasers, and satellites as examples. He also expressed a desire to use defense funds to foster domestic and European talent in space exploration and related fields, underscoring his party's focus on a reformist agenda capable of attracting votes across the political spectrum.

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She is the strongest name to lead this bet, because she combines our organized vote with her own relevant personal strength. But Mayor Salis must be helped, not pulled around: let her work.