M5S, Giuseppe Conte "shields" his leadership but only one in five members votes on the platform

The 5 Star Movement has completed its organizational structure, clearly defining a framework centered on the leadership of President Giuseppe Conte.

However, the completion of the leadership highlights a paradox: the “muffled noise” of abstention. Only 20.69% of just over 103,000 registered members entitled to participate took part in the consultation on the digital platform. This figure likely necessitates an urgent reflection on the growing disconnect between the base and the leadership of the party.

On the organizational front, the team of vice presidents certifies continuity and secures the opposition line against the government. The “six” loyalists are Paola Taverna, in the role of deputy, Michele Gubitosa, Mario Turco, Ettore Licheri, Vittoria Baldino, and Stefano Patuanelli. As anticipated in mid-February, the confirmation of Taverna, Gubitosa, and Turco serves as a pivot, while the inclusion of Licheri, Baldino, and Patuanelli broadens representation to oversee key dossiers at Palazzo Madama and Montecitorio.

This is a choice to balance the institutional soul with the more “activist” aspect under the guidance of the former prime minister. However, the most significant novelty of this electoral round concerns the renewal of the Guarantee Committee, the body responsible for overseeing the Statute and internal regulations.

Members have favored three profiles that embody the future strategic assets of the Movement: Federico Cafiero De Raho, former national anti-mafia prosecutor, who brings the historical pentastellato vocation for legality, public ethics, and transparency to the body. Barbara Floridia, president of the Rai Supervisory Commission, as a safeguard of pluralism and democratic guarantees in the media space. Gianluca Castaldi, with a political-organizational profile attentive to territorial rooting and the selection of the ruling class.

The turnout at 20.69% opens a real construction site, both political and organizational. In a party that has made online democracy and the motto “one person, one vote” its identifying trait, this inertia risks progressively eroding its essence.

The contrast is evident compared to 2025: during the renewal of Conte's presidency, participation reached 58.67%, with 89.3% of the votes for the leader.