The Italian left at a critical juncture: disanchoring the past, embracing the present

Abstract

ABSTRACTOn September 25, 2022, the Italian left faced a significant electoral setback as the centre-right coalition, led by Giorgia Meloni, secured a remarkable electoral win. Historically, the left had been represented by major parties like the Italian Communist Party (P.C.I.) and the Italian Socialist Party (P.S.I.). Their demise in the 1990s, for various reasons, gave rise to new left-leaning ‘umbrella’ entities such as the Ulivo and the Democratic Party (P.D.). Despite some electoral successes by these newer groups, left-wing parties and coalitions have failed to dominate the Italian political scene in recent years. A decline in the definitive meaning of ‘left’ in Italian politics has led to a more fragmented left-wing. As traditional leftist ideologies have waned, some of the emerging left-leaning parties have faced criticism for prioritizing civil rights over socioeconomic issues. Articles in this special issue delve into different facets of the Italian left. Pasquino highlights the stagnation in the left’s political culture since the cold war’s conclusion, while Newell critiques the weakness of the P.D.’s party organization and ideology. Ventura analyses both the P.D.’s organizational challenges and its leadership decisions, whereas Musella emphasizes the P.D.’s shortcomings in updating communication strategies. Pasini, Fasano, and Cerruti dive into the evolving preferences of left-wing voters, while del Palacio touches upon the radical left’s challenges. Mulè and Toso offer insights into the left’s efforts in poverty alleviation. In summary, this special issue underlines the pressing need for the Italian left to refresh its ideologies and strategies to stay relevant and present a competitive alternative to conservative agendas in Italy’s shifting political scene.RIASSUNTOIl 25 settembre 2022, la sinistra italiana ha subito una netta sconfitta elettorale a fronte della chiara vittoria della coalizione di centro-destra, guidata da Giorgia Meloni. Storicamente, essa è stata rappresentata da grandi partiti come il Partito Comunista Italiano (P.C.I.) e il Partito Socialista Italiano (P.S.I.). Il loro declino negli anni ‘90, per svariate ragioni, ha dato origine a nuove formazioni politiche ‘ombrello’ come l’Ulivo e il Partito Democratico (P.D.). Nonostante alcuni successi elettorali, negli ultimi anni i partiti e le coalizioni di sinistra hanno avuto difficoltà a essere protagonisti della scena politica. La stessa difficoltà a riconoscersi in un significato condiviso di ‘sinistra’ ha favorito una forte frammentazione. Inoltre, man mano che le ideologie tradizionali sono entrate in crisi, I nuovi partiti della sinistra sono stati fortemente criticati per aver dato la priorità ai diritti civili rispetto alle questioni socioeconomiche.I diversi contributi di questo numero speciale esplorano le tante sfaccettature della sinistra italiana. Pasquino evidenzia l’immobilismo della sua cultura politica dalla conclusione della Guerra Fredda in poi, mentre Newell critica la debolezza organizzativa e ideologica del Partito democratico. Sempre del P.D., Ventura analizza sia le sfide organizzative sia le decisioni della leadership, e Musella sottolinea le carenze di quel partito nell’aggiornare le sue strategie comunicative. Pasini, Fasano e Cerruti indagano l’evoluzione delle preferenze degli elettori della sinistra, mentre del Palacio affronta le sfide della sinistra radicale. Mulè e Toso offrono spunti sulle politiche della sinistra per la povertà. In sintesi, questo numero speciale sottolinea l’urgente necessità per la sinistra italiana di rinnovare le sue ideologie e strategie se intende rimanere rilevante e offrire un’alternativa competitiva alle agende conservatrici.KEYWORDS: Italian leftItalian Democratic PartyItalian political systemPAROLE CHIAVE: Sinistra italianaPartito democraticoSistema partitico italiano Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Notes1. This special issue was preceded by a conference at the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the University of Bologna titled “What is Left of the Italian Left,” held on November 29, 2022. We extend our gratitude to the department for their support in making the conference possible.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRosa MulèRosa Mulè is Professor of Political Science at Bologna University. Her research interests concern comparative welfare state, political economy, comparative methods, gendered political and economic inequalities. She has published several articles and books on the topic of income redistribution, welfare state, social shock absorbers, gender inequalities and political economy. Her recent publications include Gendering the political economy of labour market policies, Routledge, 2023 (co-authored with Roberto Rizza).Gianfranco PasquinoGianfranco Pasquino is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Bologna and Senior Adjunct Professor at the Bologna Center of the Johns Hopkins University. Fellow of the Accademia dei Lincei, his most recent books are Italian Democracy. How it Works (Routledge 2020), Libertà inutile. Profilo ideologico dell’Italia repubblicana (UTET 2021), Tra scienza e politica. Una autobiografia (UTET 2022) and Il lavoro intellettuale (UTET 2023). He has co-edited The Oxford Handbook of Italian Politics (Oxford University Press 2015) and the Dizionario di Politica (UTET-De Agostini 2016, 4a ed., revised) and co-authored (with Riccardo Pelizzo), The Culture of Accuntability. A Democratic Virtue (Routledge 2022).Sofia VenturaSofia Ventura is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Bologna and Adjunct Professor at the School of Government – LUISS in Rome. She sits on the editorial board of the Italian scientific journal, Rivista di Politica. Her research interests include Italian and French politics, political communication, and leadership. Recent publications are: ‘The Italian Government's Pandemic Communication from Giuseppe Conte to Mario Draghi’, in Manufacturing Government Communication on Covid-19 (Springer, 2022); I Leader e le loro Storie (Il Mulino, 2019); ‘The Italian Democratic Party from Merger to Personalism’, in South European Society and Politics, 1/2018; ‘La double défaite des Républicains: entre crise du parti et crise du système’, in La France d’Emmanuel Macron (PUR, 2018) and Emmanuel Macron : un leader antipolitique, outsider et gaullien? (2017). La présidentielle chamboule-tout (L’Harmattan, 2018). She has authored reports on Italian politics for two prominent political foundations in France and Germany: Fondapol - Fondation pour l'innovation politique and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.