Overview
- Conte published a long intervention in La Repubblica on Saturday in which he said the 'woke' culture should not be the ideological backbone of a progressive force and urged a return to material issues for voters left behind.
- He paired the critique with policy signals calling for pacifism, stronger support for the 'economy real'—wages, industry and cheaper energy—and limits on the power of Big Tech platforms.
- The intervention drew fast responses from across the spectrum with Partito Democratico figures reframing the debate around jobs and living costs while smaller left groups called the 'woke' charge exaggerated and right‑wing parties mocked the left.
- Media outlets and commentators framed the move as a tactical bid to broaden Conte’s appeal and position him for leadership in the centrosinistra ahead of the 2027 primaries.
- The dispute lays bare a strategic choice for Italy’s anti‑Meloni coalition over whether to prioritize class‑based economic policies for working and middle classes or continue to emphasize civil‑rights and identity issues, a split that could change campaign priorities and voter alignments.