Carlo Calenda announces Azione will run independently in upcoming elections

Carlo Calenda, leader of Azione, has announced that his party will run independently in the upcoming elections, declining to join either the center-right coalition or the Campo Largo alliance. Calenda described the current political landscape as an “immoral bipolarism” and criticized the leadership of the Campo Largo, suggesting that Giuseppe Conte has taken control of the alliance.

Calenda's strategy relies on a new electoral law where a 42 percent threshold is required to claim the majority bonus. He believes that if neither major coalition reaches this threshold, the liberal-reformist center could become the decisive factor in forming a new government. He aims to unite populists, pro-Europeans, centrist movements, and liberal-democratic reformers under his banner.

In addition to electoral strategy, Calenda criticized the Meloni government regarding the cost of living and economic maneuvers. He also called for the immediate approval of an aid package for Ukraine, warning that failure to do so would allow Matteo Salvini to dictate the government's foreign policy agenda.