- Elly Schlein will engage Giorgia Meloni in an unprecedented debate.
- In March 2023, Schlein won the role of leader of the PD, a center-left opposition party.
- Both teams acknowledged that the talks to organize the debate were difficult.
On May 23, before the European elections, opposition leader Elly Schlein will engage Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in an unprecedented debate. As a member of a coalition with other right-wing parties, Meloni, the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, has held power since October 2022.
In March 2023, Schlein won the role of leader of the Democratic Party (PD), a center-left opposition party. Although both are ranked first on respective party’s lists for the European elections scheduled for June 8–9, they will not be elected to the European Parliament.
Recent polls
Schlein would rather continue serving as a member of the Italian Parliament of Deputies, while Meloni intends to continue as prime minister. According to recent polls, the PD is at 20% and Brothers of Italy is at 27% of the European vote.
Meloni, a gifted orator from a modest suburban upbringing, and her party, which emphasizes Italy’s Christian heritage and the opposition to immigration, are opposed. Compared to her competitor, Schlein, who is of Swiss and American nationality and hails from an academic background, finds public speaking more difficult.
Both teams acknowledged that the talks to organize the debate were difficult. Schlein claims that the right-wing governing coalition is meddling in Rai’s reporting and that the channel has turned into a “government megaphone.”
According to insiders, under Meloni, there has been a greater degree of meddling, with vital programs canceled or diluted, pro-government pundits elevated, and investigative reporters marginalized.
