Italy's centre-left opposition announces July summits to forge joint programme ahead of 2027 election

The selfie that launched the coalition

On 16 June, the leaders of Italy's three main centre-left opposition forces sat for a light lunch at Costanza Hostaria, an osteria inside the ruins of the Theatre of Pompey near Campo de' Fiori in Rome. Elly Schlein (Democratic Party), Giuseppe Conte (Five Star Movement), Nicola Fratoianni and Angelo Bonelli (Green-Left Alliance, AVS) posted a joint selfie on their Instagram profiles with the message: "Al lavoro. Per cambiare l'Italia. Segnatevi queste date: 8 e 15 luglio. Ci vediamo presto!" The photograph signalled an acceleration of the so-called "broad field" (campo largo) project, with two public squares planned to present the opposition's alternative to the government of Giorgia Meloni. Conte told reporters in Montecitorio that the lunch was only the latest in a series of meetings, adding that "now it's time to roll up our sleeves."

It's time to roll up our sleeves, we must be ready to present a political project to the country.

The missing centrists

Conspicuously absent from the frame were Matteo Renzi (Italia Viva) and Carlo Calenda (Azione), as well as civic leaders Alessandro Onorato and Ernesto Ruffini. Conte explained that the four parties represented the core that had been working together consistently in parliament, while the coalition's perimeter could expand once centrist forces organised themselves. Renzi dismissed the photo with a jab at the right: "This photo doesn't worry us; the photo of a sovereigntist at the Quirinale worries us." Calenda tweeted, "But was Renzi under the table?" The AVS leadership expressed satisfaction, noting that their long insistence on a coalition table had finally produced a unified front.

This photo doesn't worry us; the photo of a sovereigntist at the Quirinale worries us.

Programme timeline

The two summer events are part of a phased approach to drafting a shared programme before the general election, currently scheduled for October 2027. M5S will complete its internal programme deliberation (Nova 2.0) by the end of June. On 8 July, the first public meeting will take place in a northern city (Milan is excluded because of local divisions); the second, on 15 July, in a southern city (Naples and Palermo are candidates). Conte said a final full sharing phase would follow in September. The goal is to demonstrate that the alliance does not start from scratch, having already collaborated on bills, motions and resolutions during the legislature.

Polling snapshot

An SWG survey released before the announcement gave a potential centre-left alliance of PD, M5S, AVS and Italia Viva 45.9% of voting intentions, against 41.8% for the centre-right. Roberto Vannacci's new party, Futuro Nazionale, is credited with 5.3%, a share that could swing the outcome if it joins the governing coalition. The numbers have emboldened opposition leaders to move from informal coordination to a structured public platform.

Reactions and outlook

Conte stressed that the focus is on building a "solid and coherent" project and that he is weighing the reliability of potential allies without personal sympathies. Fratoianni and Bonelli framed the moment as a turning point, arguing that the right is fragmenting over figures like Vannacci while the progressives unite. The two July piazzas are conceived as direct engagements with citizens, designed to showcase a ready-made alternative before the autumn when a leader for the alliance will be chosen.