2023 Democratic Party leadership election

← 2021 (by-election) 26 February 2023
600 delegates to the National Assembly of the Democratic Party 301 delegate votes needed to win
Nominee Elly Schlein Stefano Bonaccini Members' vote 52,637 (34.9%) 79,787 (52.9%) Popular vote 587,010 (53.8%) 505,032 (46.2%) Delegate count 333 267
Primary election results map. Cyan denotes provinces with a Schlein plurality and Red denotes those with a Bonaccini plurality.
Previous Secretary Enrico Letta Elected Secretary Elly Schlein

The 2023 Democratic Party leadership election was a primary election that was held in Italy in February 2023 to elect the National Assembly and secretary of the Italian Democratic Party (PD).^[1] It consisted of a closed primary election among party members held from 9 to 19 February, and an open primary election held on 26 February.^[2][3]

Four candidates ran in the closed primary election held in circle conventions: Stefano Bonaccini, Gianni Cuperlo, Paola De Micheli, and Elly Schlein. Bonaccini and Schlein advanced to the open primary election, where Schlein won with over 53% of the vote, becoming the first woman and the youngest person to ever serve as leader of the PD, as well as the first openly LGBT leader of a major Italian political party.^[4] The results of the election defied the predictions of nearly all polling firms, which had anticipated a Bonaccini victory.^[5] It was the PD's first party leadership election in which the winner of the members' vote lost in the open primary.^[6]

Electoral process

The process consists of two phases: a first round, in which only members of the PD can vote, and a second round, a runoff between the two candidates who got the most votes in the first round, in which every citizen who identifies with the party's ideals can vote. The PD is the only major Italian party that allows non-members to elect the secretary by open primary.^[7]

The term of office of the secretary is usually four years, along with the National Assembly; when the former resign in advance, the National Assembly can choose whether to elect another secretary, who would serve until the natural expiration of the mandate is reached, or to dissolve the National Assembly itself earlier and call a new leadership election.^[8]

After the outgoing secretary tenders their resignation, the party president must gather the members of the National Assembly within a month. On the same day, the National Assembly would elect the members of the National Committee for the Congress, which would act in place of the elected bodies until the end of the leadership election, whose main job is drafting the rules of the details procedure under which the leadership election is to take place. The National Committee also handles internal disputes and appeals relating to the leadership election.^[9]

The National Committee elects its president and sets the rules and the dates, and lay them before the National Board. The election must take place within four months following the secretary's resignation.^[8]

Timetable

Candidates

Candidates who progressed to the final round

On 20 February 2023, the following individuals were the two top contenders in the closed vote in party circles, thus entering the primary open to voters.

Portrait	Name		Most recent position	Campaign logo	Slogan	Announced	Refs
		Stefano Bonaccini (age 57)	President of Emilia-Romagna (2014–present) Other positions President of the Conference of the Regions and Autonomous Provinces (2016–2021) Regional Secretary of the Democratic Party of Emilia-Romagna (2009–2015)	(stefanobonaccini.it)	Energia Popolare (People's Energy)	20 November 2022	[13]
		Elly Schlein (age 39)	Vice President of Emilia-Romagna (2020–2022) Other positions Member of the Chamber of Deputies (2022–present) Member of the European Parliament (2014–2019)	(ellyschlein.it)	Parte da Noi (It Starts with Us)	4 December 2022	[14]

Before vote by party members

On 20 February 2023, the following individuals didn't manage to get enough votes in party circles to enter the primary open to voters.

Portrait	Name		Most recent position	Campaign logo	Slogan	Announced	Refs
		Gianni Cuperlo (age 63)	President of the Democratic Party (2013–2014) Other positions Member of the Chamber of Deputies (2006–2018; 2022–present) Secretary of the Youth Left (1990–1992) Secretary of the Italian Communist Youth Federation (1988–1990)	(giannicuperlo.it)	Promessa Democratica (Democratic Promise)	23 December 2022	[15]
		Paola De Micheli (age 50)	Minister of Infrastructure and Transport (2019–2021) Other positions Member of the Chamber of Deputies (2008–present) Special Commissioner for the reconstruction of the affected areas from 2016–17 Central Italy earthquakes (2017–2018) Deputy secretary of the Democratic Party (2019)	(paolademicheli.it)	Concretamente (Concretely)	27 September 2022	[16]

Declined to be candidates

The following individuals have been the subject of speculation about their possible candidacy, but have publicly denied interest in running.

• Enrico Letta, Member of the Chamber of Deputies (2021–present, 2001–2015), Secretary of the Democratic Party (2021–present), Prime Minister of Italy (2013–2014), Deputy secretary of the Democratic Party (2009–2013), Secretary of the Council of Ministers (2006–2008), Member of the European Parliament (2004–2006), Minister for the Community Policies (1998–1999), Deputy secretary of the Italian People's Party (1997–1998), Minister of Industry, Commerce and Crafts (1996–1998)^[17]

Endorsements

Candidates who progressed to the final round

Stefano Bonaccini

Elly Schlein