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

* Coordinator of Left Ecology Freedom (2014–2016)

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

Other positions

* Leader of Left Ecology Freedom in the Chamber of Deputies (2014–2016)
* Member of the Chamber of Deputies (2006–2008)

| [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]

1. ^ Congresso Nazionale Fondativo di Sinistra Italiana dal 17 al 19 febbraio 2017
2. ^ Finisce Sel di Nichi Vendola, la difficile nascita di Sinistra Italiana
3. ^ Una nuova sinistra, non una "cosa rossa"
4. ^ Fratoianni: per Podemos successo importantissimo. La Spagna cambia. Un ennesimo segnale contro l’austerità
5. ^ A Rimini anche l’altra sinistra, Scotto sfida Fratoianni
6. ^ Sinistra italiana, corsa a due per la segreteria: Scotto sfida Fratoianni
7. ^ Scotto: «No a Renzi, ma non siamo la bad company di Grillo»
8. ^ Sinistra Italiana, Scotto ritira la candidatura: "Clima avvelenato qualcuno chieda scusa". La replica: "Strumentale"
9. ^ Arturo Scotto lascia Sinistra italiana e pensa ai gruppi parlamentari di Giuliano Pisapia
10. ^ La buona politica, a sinistra. Apriamo una nuova stagione
11. ^ Fratoianni: 'Sinistra sia autonoma, non un satellite di altri. A elezioni proposta larga'
12. ^ Perché ho deciso di candidarmi alla segreteria di Sinistra Italiana
13. ^ Sarà Arturo Scotto il candidato dell’ala dei ’dialoganti’