The unexpected triumph of Stefania Proietti in the Umbrian regional elections owes much to a strategic pivot orchestrated mid-campaign by the Democratic Party (PD). Flavio Alivernini, spokesperson and key advisor to party leader Elly Schlein, identified the need for a sharper focus in Proietti’s message amid slipping poll numbers. Together with Marco Agnoletti, a communications veteran with ties to Stefano Bonaccini’s reformist faction, the team concentrated the campaign on healthcare—a topic that resonated deeply with voters in a region grappling with the downsizing of medical services under the outgoing center-right administration.
This collaboration between Alivernini and Agnoletti carried symbolic weight, bridging divides within the PD that date back to Schlein and Bonaccini’s leadership contest in 2023. The campaign’s focus on healthcare not only sharpened Proietti’s message but also addressed the organizational challenges typical of running a civic candidate. By staging key events outside hospitals and highlighting closures and service reductions, the campaign underscored its commitment to public health, galvanizing support in traditionally conservative areas like Orvieto and Spoleto.
The choice of healthcare as a cornerstone issue was not without irony. The PD’s regional struggles had begun in 2019 with a corruption scandal in the healthcare sector that led to the resignation of a former party leader. Yet by 2024, Proietti’s targeted messaging and a united front had transformed the narrative. The result is a rejuvenated left in Umbria, offering a blueprint for regional elections nationwide.
