Michele Gubitosa, deputy and vice-president of the Five Star Movement (M5S), used the regional Festa dell'Unita in Portici to set out a two-stage path for the progressive coalition: first agree on a common programme, then hold primaries to choose its leader.
Speaking at the festival, Gubitosa said the Movement had completed its internal programme-building work before opening discussions with other progressive parties. The next step, in his formulation, is a coalition programme table with the progressive camp, followed by a primary contest to select the leader.
Where and when the remarks were made
The regional Festa dell'Unita was held at Villa Mascolo in Portici from 24 to 26 September 2026.
The festival brought together the Democratic Party (PD) and representatives of other progressive forces for discussions about building a national governing alternative. Participants discussed work, healthcare, social policy, southern development, security, the environment and upcoming elections.
Programme first, then primaries
Gubitosa's central point was sequencing. Rather than starting from the choice of a leader, he argued that the coalition should first define what it would do in government and only then decide how to choose who leads it.
That approach was echoed more broadly in the festival debate, where speakers called for broadening the alliance and creating a shared programme before deciding on leadership mechanisms. The sources do not show whether all parties represented at the festival support primaries, and no date, rules or confirmed participants for any future primaries have been established.
The remarks therefore describe a political proposal and a method of work, not a formally ratified coalition agreement.
What the M5S says it brings to the table
According to Gubitosa, the M5S proposals were developed through NOVA, its programme-building process, with contributions from members and non-members. He put the number of citizens involved at 17,000. That figure is attributed to Gubitosa and is not independently documented in the available material.
Among the measures highlighted by Gubitosa were action on public-health waiting lists and protections for self-employed workers who become ill. Both points connect directly to two of the festival's central themes: healthcare and work.
Why Portici mattered
The value of the Portici meeting was political rather than procedural. No coalition pact was signed there. Instead, the three-day event at Villa Mascolo served as a venue where the PD, M5S and other progressive forces could publicly compare positions on jobs, health, social policy, the South and the environment.
For readers following coalition developments, two practical takeaways emerge from the research:
First, the programme table is presented as the immediate test. Agreement on concrete commitments would have to come before any discussion of names or primary rules.
Second, the policy areas already on the festival agenda — employment, healthcare access, support for vulnerable workers, southern development, security and the environment — indicate where a future common programme would need to find convergence.
What remains open is substantial: the timing and format of any primaries, the full list of parties willing to take part, and whether the positions expressed at Portici can be converted into a shared and binding programme.
