Italian center-left politics is once again in flux, with figures like Beppe Sala, mayor of Milan, stepping forward as a potential leader for a centrist coalition. While Matteo Renzi and Carlo Calenda are sidelined from this role for differing reasons, Sala’s candidacy is seen as a balancing act: laic, progressive, and with ties to the Democratic Party. His political rapport with Renzi remains cordial, though his alignment with Calenda is less favorable. Renzi himself, with his trademark skepticism, remarked on Sala’s ties to various political factions, implying his leap to the center-left would mark significant progress.
The idea of reviving a “new Margherita” — a centrist-reformist coalition — is circulating, with names like Ernesto Maria Ruffini and Franco Gabrielli also being mentioned. Ruffini, director of the Revenue Agency, is speculated to be capable of reuniting the fragments of democratic Catholicism. Meanwhile, Gabrielli, with a distinguished career in state service, adds another layer to the potential leadership puzzle. Renzi’s wry observation that all these names share a “reformist legacy” reflects the ideological overlap that could either unify or divide this potential coalition.
As the Democratic Party watches closely but refrains from direct involvement, the challenge lies in consolidating these diverse figures and ideologies. Such a coalition could not only strengthen the center-left against Giorgia Meloni but also counter the growing influence of Giuseppe Conte. However, the road ahead is fraught with uncertainty, and the perennial disarray of the Italian left looms large. Whether Sala can navigate the treacherous waters of national politics remains to be seen.
