Referendum on autonomy, bigwigs in the square for signature collection. Schlein: start of tour against abstentionism

Oppositions in the field to collect signatures for the referendum against differentiated autonomy. The parties organised a series of initiatives and banquets in the squares throughout Italy today to kick off the campaign against the ddl Calderoli. The secretary of the PD Elly Schlein signed in Perugia, at the PD banquet in the gardens of Piazza Italia. A symbolic departure from the heart of Italy but also from one of the next regions to be called to the vote.

"Differentiated autonomy means denying and limiting access to fundamental rights such as health and schooling. The right wing that has just returned to government has defunded public health. We need to reinvent healthcare, hospitals in the cities are not enough. We are leaving on a tour against abstentionism, we have decided to go to inland areas to listen to the communities because those people no longer feel represented and no longer go to vote. I will be this afternoon at the festa dell'Unità in Santa sofia in the Forlì Apennines precisely for this reason,' Pd secretary Elly Schlein announced early in the morning at the La7 microphones. 'The Pnrr must serve to bring health care close to people's homes with the community homes that this right wing has declared war on because it has decreased their number'.

For the referendum, 'we are setting up a site where you will also be able to sign online,' adds the Dem secretary, accompanied by the new mayor of Umbria's capital Vittoria Ferdinandi and several citizens, 'since we have insisted on finally having a platform made available by the State, as is only right and proper. The challenge is open and sees a broad front supporting the initiative. 'It will be a long road and we have until 30 September to collect at least 500,000 signatures'.

The M5S Giuseppe Conte leader, present at the Civitavecchia market, calls on citizens to rally. "Italy will not split, we must stop this reform that operates a secession desired by the Meloni government. We cannot allow health, education, transport, infrastructure to suffer even more. We must defend unity and the tricolour, also for the benefit of entrepreneurs who cannot have more and more bureaucracy'. The leaders of the Greens and Left Alliance Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni instead sign at the banquet organised at the Testaccio Market in Rome for the 'Ricuciamo l'Italia' campaign. Italia Viva is also in the field with Maria Elena Boschi at the party's banquet in the Montesacro district of Rome. On Thursday in Naples Matteo Renzi will attend the Campania Regional Council together with President Vincenzo De Luca. Even +Europa - meeting in Assembly - is making its contribution with a stall in Via Cavour, where the party's meetings are held. A broad deployment of forces that is also necessary in view of the actual popular consultation. The biggest challenge for the minorities, at that point, will in fact be that against abstentionism: it will be necessary to reach a quorum with the vote of more than half of the eligible voters.