The general assembly of the
centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) on Sunday
proclaimed 37-year-old Elly Schlein as its new secretary, the
first woman leader in the party's history.
Schlein recently won leadership primaries over 54-year-old
pre-vote favourite and Emilia-Romagna Governor Stefano
Bonaccini, who has been tapped as new party chair.
After the proclamation Sunday, a visibly emotional Schlein
embraced Bonaccini and then her predecessor, former premier
Enrico Letta.
She thanked all her primary opponents as well as Letta and
anoter previous PD head, Lazio Governor Nicola Zingaretti.
"A new course has been started that will relaunch the party",
she said.
Applause lasted three minutes.
Schlein, who is more leftwing than Bonaccini, has appealed for
party unity amid fears centrists may leave but also amid an
influx of new party members and overtures from parties on the
left of the PD.
The breakaway Article One party is now returning to the fold.
Letta stood down after the PD's poor showing in the September 25
genera election where ti got 19% to the 26% garnered by the
winning Brothers of Italy (FdI) of rightwinger Giorgia Meloni,
who then became Italy's first woman premier.
The PD then dropped to about 13-14% in the polls compared to
FdI's 30% amid leadership and policy uncertainty but has seen a
2.5% bump from Schlein's election two weeks ago.
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