In surprise win, Elly Schlein becomes new leader of Italy’s Democratic Party

By Giada Zampano

ROME (AA) - Italy's center-left Democratic Party (PD) chose 37-year-old Elly Schlein as its new leader, who is expected to relaunch the country’s main opposition force after the painful defeat suffered in last September’s national elections.

After clinching a surprise win over PD veteran Stefano Bonaccini in a ballot among the party’s supporters on Sunday, Schein became the first female leader of the party, promising “a small big revolution” to battle the ruling right-wing coalition.

Schlein will lead opposition in parliament against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, bringing for the first time in Italian history two women at the helm of the country's two main political forces.

Schlein has openly portrayed herself as Meloni’s opposite. While the Italian Premier is a staunch supporter of the so-called “traditional family” and an anti-abortion believer, Schlein has declared her relationship with a woman and constantly defended LGBTQ rights.

After a quick rise in politics as the “new face” of Italy’s struggling Democratic Party, Schlein now faces the huge challenge to reunite it, working on a radical agenda that focuses on green economy, labor reform and the fight against social inequality.

"The democratic people are alive and ready to stand up,” Schlein said in her victory speech, after beating Bonaccini by around 54% to 46%, despite constantly trailing him in the polls and beating all projections.

After her election, Schlein promised that the party, which failed to stop the right winning power, “will be a problem” for the Meloni government.

Schlein, an Italian-American national, has been often compared to US Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her energy and activism.

She only recently rejoined the PD after leaving it in 2015 in protest over the leadership of former prime minister, Matteo Renzi, whom she considered too “conservative.”