Michele Emiliano remains in the Democratic Party. The minority, in favor of the split, therefore loses one of its "three tenors", the leader who, together with Roberto Speranza and Enrico Rossi, had led the separation proposed by Massimo D'Alema and Pier Luigi Bersani.
The announcement on the eve of the Pd direction, which began around 15.30 and closed after just over two hours, that the splitters have decided to desert. The governor of Puglia turns around and launches the official challenge: will run for office to challenge Matteo Renzi face to face, today's great absentee.
The meeting was opened by Matthew Orfini, “I thank those who are here today – said the president of the party -. I have heard from Emiliano, Rossi and Speranza in these hours and I have asked them to participate in the management and in the congress and I will continue to do so, not resigning myself to the choice of those who have decided not to participate". “I ask those who have made a different choice to think again – he continued, referring to the other members of the minority – I think there are conditions for moving forward together and avoiding goodbyes. This is what congress is for. What emerged in the debate in the assembly and after is not such as to justify and make inevitable farewells from our party. I think there is still room to keep this party united ”, he concludes. "The commission that we will appoint today has the task of gathering the different positions to see if a few more steps can be taken to bridge the gaps".
Shortly thereafter, Orfini announced the names of the 18 members of thea commission that will have to define the rules of the congress: Silvia Fregolent, Martina Nardi, Mauro Del Barba, Ernesto Carbone, Alberto Losacco, Caterina Bini, Tommaso Ginoble, Emilio Di Marzio, Teresa Piccione, Roberto Morassut, Roberto Montanari, Claudio Mancini, Micaela Campana, Michele Bordo, Andrea De Maria, Paolo Acunzo, Antonio Rubino and also the deputy secretary Lorenzo Guerini.
The most anticipated speech of the day is precisely that of Emiliano, who announces his candidacy from the stage in a combative tone: “I would have liked to have done it in the assembly but the respect I have for Rossi and Speranza did not allow me. Today I reiterate that I will run for the secretariat of the Democratic Party. This is my home, our home and no one can kick me out or kick us out."
“With Rossi and Speranza we conducted a common reflection – continued the governor -, Enrico and Roberto are respectable people, of great human depth who have been offended and beaten by the stubborn refusal of any mediation. Renzi is the most satisfied with every possible split“. Then the broadside to the absent rival: "Matteo mocked us by not participating in this direction" then he gets excited: "The desire to leave was great but those who don't fight have already lost"
The former Premier is absent from management due to a trip to the USA. But just before leaving he launched a broadside at his opponents through the usual weekly enews: "" Let's make it simple, without too many words. Since the first day of victory in the 2013 primaries, some friends and fellow travelers have expressed doubts, reservations, criticisms about the management of the party and above all the management of the government. I think it is legitimate and dutiful in a democratic party, in name and in fact, that those with different ideas can present them in an internal, civil and calm confrontation. However, it is good to be clear: we cannot block the discussion of the party and above all of the country any longer. It's time to get back on the road. All together, I hope, but on the way. Not real estate. The fate of the Democratic Party and the country is more important than the fate of individual leaders.
Shortly before Emiliano, he also intervened Gianni Cuperlo, asking for the primaries to be postponed to July (to date it seems that the chosen date is May 7): "Let's try to amaze ourselves: we start the congress then we face the administrative issues together and we will close this process with the primaries within the first part of the month of July. And July is not a violence against the rules. I ask the management to evaluate this proposal”.
Meanwhile Matteo Renzi continues to receive help from the "senators of the party". Not only the great ex Walter Veltroni and Romano Prodi, but also the hard core of the heirs of the PCI, such as Ugo Sposetti and Piero Fassino. The former secretary has rebranded them as "the new mediators" and it is on them that he counts to maintain territorial possession and reduce the appeal of the secessionists. Those who have the closest ties to the CGIL will also play a fundamental role, namely the former Minister of Labor Cesare Damiano and the Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Teresa Bellanova, who has the burden of saving the votes of the unions, avoiding that the secessionist front steal invaluable consensus, not only in parliament, but also in the various territorial circles.
