Her call comes after her centre-left group registered a strong showing in the European elections.
“The Democratic Party is the undisputed cornerstone of the construction of the alternative [to the ruling coalition],” Schlein told a meeting of PD lawmakers.
“We feel this responsibility even stronger [after the EU vote], I ask you to continue to be stubbornly pro-unity.
“There are differences, but they can give value to a shared programme on the things we can do together.
“Let’s hope that the results of the last few days have convinced everyone that there’s no more time for divisions and vetoes.”
PD won 24.08 per cent of the vote in the EU election, up from around 19 per cent in the 2022 Italian general election.
They came second only to Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party with 28.8 per cent, up from 26 per cent.
“It’s an extraordinary result for us, but it’s a starting point, not a final destination,” said Schlein.
“We must continue to hammer away to nail Meloni on social and wage-related issues.”
The Green-Left Alliance (AVS) also did relatively well, gaining 6.7 per cent of the vote. Both it and the PD were the only groups to attract more voters in absolute terms with respect to the last general election.
“We are the party that has grown the most since the general election, with five percentage points more,” Schlein said.
“Along with AVS, we have more votes in absolute terms [with respect to the general election], while FdI has lost votes.
“We have halved the distance with FdI.
“It was two million and now it’s one million.
“We’re coming.”
ANSA
