The 2017 Five Star Movement leadership election was an Italian online primary election held on 21 September 2017 that determined the M5S candidate to the premiership for the 2018 Italian general election.
After the election, 31-year-old Luigi Di Maio was elected candidate to the premiership and political head of the movement.M5s, Di Maio eletto candidato premier e nuovo capo politico. Ma alle primarie votano solo in 37 mila
Background The party's leader Beppe Grillo would campaign in the 2018 election, but he would not be the candidate for the position of Prime Minister, even if many critics accused him of being – in case of an electoral win – the de facto head of the government. The Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies Luigi Di Maio, was widely considered as the "front runner" and the most likely candidate for the premiership of Italy.Aldo Giannuli, storico consigliere di Grillo e Casaleggio: "Primarie bulgare per far vincere Di Maio"
Luigi Di Maio had been often labeled as the most pragmatic and "institutional", but also the less populist, Five Star politician; he is the son of a member of the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement and he is considered the leader of the moderate and "governmental" faction of the movement.Luigi Di Maio e i soliti ignoti. Un big e sette innocui carneadi alla corsa alla premiership M5SM5s, i due padri fascisti antesignani del "vaffa": il lessico familiare di Di Maio e Di Battista
No other leading members of the M5S, such as Alessandro Di Battista (a populist politician, personal friend of Di Maio) or Roberto Fico (leader of the M5S left-wing faction and rival of Di Maio and Di Battista), ran for the office.
Di Maio's opponents were Senator Elena Fattori (Vice President of the 9th Permanent Senate Committee) and six other city councilors.M5s, primarie in rete: 8 candidati premier. La senatrice Fattori sfida Di Maio. Rinunciano Fico, Morra e Di Battista Many of them were almost unknown, leading to significant criticism from the Democratic Party, Lega Nord and Forza Italia,M5S. Oggi si vota il candidato premier. Sette 'sconosciuti' sfidano Di Maio who considered the ballot a false primary election, with the only aim of appointing Di Maio as M5S candidate without any real challenger.Un nome forte e percentuali bulgare: primarie M5s copiate (male) da Pd e Lega
Candidates Major candidates Portrait NameMost recent position Refs Luigi Di Maio Verso le elezioni, primarie M5S: il rebus per incoronare Di MaioM5S, primarie blindate per Di Maio: chi perde non potrà candidarsi in Parlamento Elena Fattori Candidato – Elena FattoriScheda di attività – Elena Fattori
Other candidates NameDetails and notes Refs Vincenzo Cicchetti Member of the Rimini City Council Candidato – Vincenzo Cicchetti Member of the Figline Valdarno City Council Candidato – Andrea Davide Frallicciardi Domenico Ispirato Member of the Verona City Council Candidato – Domenico Ispirato Gianmarco Novi Member of the Monza City Council Candidato – Gianmarco Novi Nadia Piseddu Member of the Vignola City Council Candidato – Nadia Piseddu Marco Zordan Member of the Sarego City Council Candidato – Marco Zordan
Results
Candidate Votes % Luigi Di Maio 30,936 82.62% Elena Fattori 3,596 9.60% Nadia Piseddu 1,410 3.77% Gianmarco Novi 543 1.45% Marco Zordan 373 1.00% Vincenzo Cicchetti 274 0.73% 168 0.45% Domenico Ispirato 102 0.27% Total votes 37,442 100.0Source: Blog di Beppe Grillo
References