2017 Italian Left leadership election

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2017 Italian Left leadership election

17–19 February 2017
 
Nominee Nicola Fratoianni
Party SI
Popular vote 503
Percentage 94.0%

Secretary before election

Office established

Elected Secretary

Nicola Fratoianni

The 2017 Italian Left leadership election was a congressional primary election held on 17,18 and 19 February 2017.[1]

The Italian Left is a left-wing party of Italy.[2] It was launched in November 2015 as a parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies, mainly including Left Ecology Freedom, dissidents from the Democratic Party (see Future to the Left) and splinters from the Five Star Movement.[3] In February 2017 it was officially born as a party.

Candidates[edit]

The two main candidates were Nicola Fratoianni and Arturo Scotto. Fratoianni was a member of the Communist Refoundation Party and then of Nichi Vendola's Left Ecology Freedom, of which he became Coordinator. He is considered the leader of the left-wing faction, which opposes an alliance with the centre-left Democratic Party. Fratoianni's aim is to create a left-wing to far-left party inspired by the Greek Syriza of Alexis Tsipras and the Spanish Podemos of Pablo Iglesias Turrión.[4][5]

Arturo Scotto was a member of the social-democratic Democrats of the Left (predecessor of the centre-left Democratic Party) and then of Left Ecology Freedom. He is considered the leader of the right-wing faction, who supports an alliance with the Democratic Party and the creation of a centre-left coalition.[6] Scotto always denied an alliance with the Democrats if their leader will remain the former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is considered too centrist and liberal.[7]

On 2 February 2017, Scotto announced the withdrawal of his candidature due to the primary rules, which prevented the popular vote.[8] After a few days Scotto left the party, along with 18 deputies.[9]

Portrait Name Most recent position Refs
Nicola Fratoianni
(1972–)
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
(2013–present)

Other positions
[10][11]
Arturo Scotto
(1979–)
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
(2013–2018)

Other positions
[12][13]

Results[edit]

Candidate Votes %
Nicola Fratoianni 503 94.0%
Against 32 6.0%
Abstentions 28
Total 563 100.0
Vote
Fratoianni
94.0%
Against
6.0%

References[edit]