Italian Democratic Party primaries, 2013

Figured we'd need a thread for this. I'm curious to see where the forum stands on this fascinating contest. Wink

For those who don't know much, here's a brief description of the contenders.

Matteo Renzi is the overwhelming favorite. He's been a major figure in the party in the past few years, leading the charge for generational renewal within the party (he's 38). He has always been considered as the sworn enemy of the party's old guard, and his charisma and dynamism are now well-known. Ideologically, he's the most centrist candidate - he's often considered as the Italian Tony Blair, a comparison he hasn't rejected. His stated goal is to force the Letta government to finally do what it has promised to do (reform the institutions, cut taxes on the working class, tackle corruption and political privileges, etc.).

Gianni Cuperlo is, by and large, the establishment candidate. Rumors say that he was directly handpicked by old boss Massimo D'Alema as a last-ditch attempt to block Renzi, and he is certainly the candidate D'Alema, Bersani and others are betting on. In any case, he is a new and largely unknown figure in the party (I, for one, had never heard of it before the campaign began - and I follow Italian politics every day). During his recent appearances, he displayed notable intelligence and culture. On the other hand, he has no charisma whatsoever. He positioned himself to the left of the party, talking emphatically about labor struggles, the social safety net, and the need for the left to rebuild itself ideologically. On the other hand, he has been the most vocal supporter of the Letta government, and it's likely that under his lead the PD wouldn't exert much pressure to advance its own goals.

Pippo Civati is the "outsider" in this race. Once a Renzi supporter, he has distanced himself after the election, probably in part because his views are clearly to the left of Renzi's. He has been one of the most vocal supporters of an alliance between PD and M5S (he was appointed by Bersani as the party's "ambassador" during the days when an agreement seemed possible, and during the presidential election, he was one of the few PDers who endorsed Rodotà). He is pretty charismatic, though not as much as Renzi, and the two are actually the same age. He is also the only candidate who opposes the Letta government, calling for a swift reform of the electoral system and then new elections as soon as possible.

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