2021 Five Star Movement leadership election

The 2021 Five Star Movement leadership election was an Italian online primary election held on 6 August 2021 that determined the president of the M5S.[1] The election was de facto a plebiscite in which party's members were asked to approve or reject the candidacy of former prime minister Giuseppe Conte as new leader.[2][3] Conte easily won the election with 92.8% of votes.[4]

2021 Five Star Movement leadership election

← 2017 6 August 2021
 
Nominee Giuseppe Conte
Party Five Star Movement
Popular vote 62,242
Percentage 92.8%

Leader before election

Vito Crimi
(Acting)

Elected leader

Giuseppe Conte

Background edit

In February 2021, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was forced to resign, after losing the absolute majority in the Senate of the Republic.[5][6] On 28 February 2021, after a few days from the end of his premiership, Conte joined the Five Star Movement (M5S), the party which proposed his candidacy as Prime Minister in June 2018.[7][8]

After a few days, the founder and so-called Guarantor of the M5S, Beppe Grillo, gave Conte the task of writing a new party's statute and announced that Conte would become the new political leader.[9] In the following months, however, tensions grown up between the two politicians. In June, Grillo accused Conte of aiming at creating a one-man party and of being "without a political vision".[10] The former Prime Minister threatened to found his own political movement, stating that Grillo "can not stop this useful political project".[11] In July 2021, Conte and Grillo found a compromise on the new statute and leadership elections were called on 6 August.[12]

Candidates edit

Portrait Name Most recent position Refs
  Giuseppe Conte
(1964– )
Prime Minister of Italy
(2018–2021)
[13]

Results edit

Leadership edit

Candidate Votes %
Giuseppe Conte 62,242 92.81
Against 4,822 7.19
Total votes 67,064 100.00
Source: Movimento 5 Stelle
Popular vote
Conte
92.81%
Against
7.19%

Statute edit

Choice Votes %
 Y Yes 53,238 87.36
 N No 7,702 12.64
Total 60,940 100.00
Source: Huffington Post
Popular vote
 Y Yes
87.36%
 N No
12.64%

References edit

  1. ^ M5S, al via la votazione per eleggere Conte presidente. Gruppo di attivisti chiede la cancellazione: "Il 10 agosto noi fuori dal Movimento", la Repubblica
  2. ^ M5s, Conte incassa un plebiscito sullo statuto, ANSA
  3. ^ Italy’s 5Stars complete shift to traditional party, Politico Europe
  4. ^ Giuseppe Conte è il nuovo presidente del M5s: un plebiscito, 92,8% di sì. L’ex premier: “Voglio restituire dignità alla politica, progetto forte”, Il Fatto Quotidiano
  5. ^ Conte si dimette e tenta il ter (senza chiudere la porta a Renzi), Il Sole 24 Ore
  6. ^ Mario Draghi giura al Quirinale con tre minuti di anticipo, Huffington Post
  7. ^ M5s, via alla rifondazione dopo il vertice con Grillo. Conte dice sì: parteciperà con un ruolo ad hoc, la Repubblica
  8. ^ Roberts, Hannah (9 April 2021). "Former Italian leader Conte takes helm of 5Stars". Politico. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  9. ^ Grillo vuole Conte leader del M5S. Cambia lo statuto, Il Mattino
  10. ^ Grillo e la rottura con Conte: «Non ha visione politica, no al partito unipersonale», Corriere della Sera
  11. ^ Conte attacca Grillo e apre al suo partito: “Non terrò questo progetto politico nel cassetto”, Fanpage
  12. ^ M5s, accordo fra Conte e Grillo su statuto: "Leadership chiara è garanzia di democrazia", Sky Tg24
  13. ^ M5s, plebiscito per il nuovo statuto di Conte: 87% sì, domani si vota per farlo presidente, Fanpage