Italy's Tajani says centre-left vanished amid Russia policy debate

Foreign minister and deputy prime minister Antonio Tajani told an event in Tolfa that the traditional centre‑left coalition no longer exists, accusing the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement and allied parties of moving toward an extremist left and leaving a vacuum for Forza Italia to claim moderate voters.

Political scientist Vittorio Emanuele Parsi highlighted that recent comments by former prime minister Giuseppe Conte on re‑armament and the perceived lack of Russian threat have reignited internal tensions within the centre‑left. Parsi noted that the centre‑right appears more unified on international dossiers such as Ukraine, NATO and European security, while the centre‑left struggles to define a coherent foreign‑policy stance.

Both observations underscore a deepening split over Italy’s approach to Russia and defence policy, shaping the broader debate on the future of the country's centre‑right and centre‑left alliances ahead of upcoming elections.