Elly Schlein

Elly Schlein
Schlein in 2023
Secretary of the Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 March 2023
Preceded byEnrico Letta
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 October 2022
ConstituencyEmilia-Romagna – 02
Vice-President of Emilia-Romagna
In office
28 February 2020 – 24 October 2022
PresidentStefano Bonaccini
Preceded byRaffaele Donini
Succeeded byIrene Priolo
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 2014 – 2 July 2019
ConstituencyNorth-East Italy
Personal details
BornElena Ethel Schlein
(1985-05-04) 4 May 1985
Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland
Citizenship
  • Italy
  • Switzerland
  • United States
PartyPD (2013–2015; 2022–present)
Other political
affiliations
Domestic partnerPaola Belloni
Alma materUniversity of Bologna

Elena Ethel "Elly" Schlein (Italian: [ˈɛlli ʃˈlain]; born 4 May 1985) is an Italian politician who has been serving as the secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) since 12 March 2023.[1] She is a member of Italy's Chamber of Deputies and was previously the vice president of Emilia-Romagna and a member of the European Parliament. On 26 February 2023, she was elected as the new Democratic Party secretary with 54% of the vote, becoming the first woman to lead the party.[2]

Early life and education

Elena Ethel Schlein was born on 4 May 1985 in Lugano, Switzerland.[3][4][5] She has a sister, Susanna, who is a diplomat by profession and a brother, Benjamin, who is a mathematician.[6]

Her father, Melvin Schlein, is an American academic and political scientist of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.[5][7] Originally, her paternal grandfather's surname was Schleyen; after arriving at Ellis Island, he changed it to Schlein.[5] Her paternal ancestors were from Zhovkva, now located in Ukraine, and her paternal grandmother, from whom she takes the middle name Ethel, was of Lithuanian origin.[5]

Schlein's Italian mother, Maria Paola Viviani, is a professor of comparative public law at the University of Insubria.[8] Her maternal grandfather was the Italian Socialist Party politician Agostino Viviani, senator from 1972 to 1979 and a member of the High Council of the Judiciary.[9]

Later in life, Schlein moved to Bologna.[10] She graduated in law at the University of Bologna in 2011, discussing a thesis on constitutional law.[8] Schlein holds American, Italian and Swiss citizenships.[11]

Political career

Early beginnings, 2008–2013

In 2008 and 2012, Schlein volunteered on Barack Obama's two presidential campaigns in the United States.[10] In 2011, she was one of the founders of the association of university students known as Progrè, an association that dealt with deepening and sensitising public opinion on issues related to migration policies and the prison reality.[12]

In April 2013, Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister of Italy and president of the Democratic Party (PD), received in support less than 100 centre-left coalition electors and left the 2013 Italian presidential election campaign. In response, Schlein gave life to the mobilisation campaign known as #OccupyPD, which criticised those behind Prodi's loss and opposed the formation of a grand coalition government, the Letta Cabinet.[13] In the 2013 PD leadership election on 8 December, Schlein gave her support to Giuseppe Civati, who ranked third.[14]

Member of the European Parliament, 2014–2019

In February 2014, Schlein ran with the PD for a seat at the European Parliament in the North-Eastern constituency. In the 2014 European Parliament election in Italy, she was elected to the European Parliament.[15] She served on the European Parliament Committee on Development.[16] In addition to her committee assignments, she was part of the parliament's delegation to the European Union–Albania Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee.[16]

In May 2015, Schlein announced through a post on Facebook that she was leaving the PD, being in deep disagreement with the new political line of the party imposed by the party secretary and Italy's prime minister Matteo Renzi, and joined Possible, the party founded by Civati.[17] In April 2019, Schlein announced her intention not to run in the 2019 European Parliament election in Italy.[18]

Vice-president of Emilia-Romagna, 2020–2022

In the 2020 Emilia-Romagna regional election on 26 January, Schlein ran as a candidate for member of the regional council of Emilia-Romagna as part of a left-wing electoral alliance called Emilia-Romagna Courageous Ecologist and Progressive.[19][20] She was elected with over 22,000 votes, the highest vote tally for a councillor in regional history, and was subsequently appointed by Stefano Bonaccini as his vice-president.[21][22][23] In February 2020, the PD's secretary Nicola Zingaretti offered Schlein the party presidency spot left vacant by Paolo Gentiloni.[10]

2022 general election and Democratic Party leadership run

In the general election held on 26 September 2022, Schlein was elected to the country's Chamber of Deputies.[24][25] A few weeks later, following Letta's resignation as leader of the PD, Schlein announced her run for the 2023 PD leadership election.[26] In an upset,[27] for the first time in the party's leadership elections, Schlein overcame the second place of the closed primary,[28] by winning the open primary on 26 February 2023, when she was successfully elected ahead of Stefano Bonaccini.[29][30] In doing so, she became the PD's first female, as well as the youngest person,[31] to be elected leader of the PD since the formation of the party in 2007. She is also the first publicly-declared LGBTQ secretary of the Italian centre-left leading party. During her rise in the party, she has been compared to American congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.[32] She succeeded Letta on 12 March 2023.[33]

On 18 April 2023, Schlein expressed her personal opinion in favour of surrogacy.[34]

2024 European Parliament Elections

In the June 2024 European elections the PD received 24.1% of the votes, second to FdI.[35]

Foreign policy

Israel

Schlein, who is of Jewish descent,[36] has taken an anti-Zionist position against the state of Israel, supporting the pro-Palestinian movement,[37][38][39][40][41] as well as the two-state solution. During the 12-Day War, she strongly condemned Israel's attacks on Iran.[42] In September 2025, Schlein gave her support to the Global Sumud Flotilla, along with other left-wing Italian leaders such as Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni, and urged the Italian government to impose sanctions against Israel.[43][44][45] Furthermore, dissatisfied with the Italian government's positions on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Schlein urged Italian municipalities to apply sanctions and carry out boycotts against Israel and members of the Israeli government.[46][47] Schlein has repeatedly called the Israeli government led by Netanyahu criminal,[48] and continued to pressure the Italian government to recognize the state of Palestine as soon as possible.[49][50][51]

Iran

In January 2025, Schlein expressed support for Narges Mohammadi, the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in a remote meeting. Schlein also pledged her support for the Iranian people's struggle against the Islamic regime.[52] Schlein condemned Israel for attacking Iran.[53][54] During the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, Schlein expressed support for the Iranian protesters fighting for the abolition of Iranian theocracy.[55][56]

Venezuela

Schlein condemned the use of military force in Venezuela by the United States during the 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela; in particular, she expressed strong condemnation for the violation of international law.[57][58] Previously, Schlein had expressed her support for the Italians detained without any reason in Venezuelan prisons.[59][60]

Ukraine

Schlein supports Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war, including through the contribution of weapons and financial aid sent by Europe.[61]

Personal life

In February 2020, Schlein came out as bisexual.[62][63][64] Her current partner is Cagliari-born Paola Belloni.[65]

Schlein describes herself as a feminist and a progressive.[66] In December 2022, arsonists destroyed a car used by her sister, diplomat Susanna Schlein serving in Athens, prompting Italy's incumbent prime minister Giorgia Meloni to express her "profound concern".[67]

References

  1. ^ "Pd, Schlein: "Lavoro per la massima unità e per il rilancio del partito, l'assemblea il 12 marzo"". TGcom24. 27 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Chi è Elly Schlein, la nuova segretaria del PD". Il Post (in Italian). 26 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Elly Schlein - Biografia". ellyschlein.it. ellyschlein.it. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  4. ^ "Differenze e convergenze. Il confronto tra i sostenitori di Bonaccini e Schlein". newsrimini (in Italian). 23 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d Cazzullo, Aldo (18 February 2023). "Elly Schlein: O il Pd cambia o è finita. Io non ho nulla da perdere e per questo vincerò". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Elly Schlein's family: university professor parents, diplomat sister, physicist brother". Il Corriere di Bologna (in Italian).
  7. ^ Sbaffi, Giulia (12 February 2020). "Sapevi che Elly Schlein ha frequentato il DAMS? Tutto sulla giovane politica". Donna Glamour (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  8. ^ a b Civati, Giuseppe (17 May 2014). "L'isola di Elly". Ciwati (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  9. ^ Salati, Di Alexia (4 February 2020). "Il dubbio: Agostino Viviani, l'avvocato che sfidò le toghe. E perse… – Elly Schlein". Elly Schlein (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b c Sciorilli Borrelli, Silvia (13 February 2020). "Meet the Italian left's rising star". Politico. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  11. ^ Pizzimenti, Chiara (27 February 2023). "Elly Schlein, la famiglia della nuova segretaria del Pd". Vanity Fair Italia (in Italian). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Chi siamo". progre (in Italian). 16 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  13. ^ "#Occupypd, sedi di partito occupate dai giovani del Pd". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Elly Schlein, Civati segretario per il cambiamento: 'Il PD ha sbagliato tutto dopo le primarie'" [Elly Schlein, Civati secretary for change: 'The PD got it all wrong after the primaries']. BolognaToday (in Italian). 3 December 2013.
  15. ^ "Europee, parla la civatiana Elly Schlein: "Vince il Pd, ma serve riflessione sul governo"". L'Espresso. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  16. ^ a b "Elly Schlein". European Parliament. 4 May 1985. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  17. ^ Capelli, Eleonora (9 May 2015). "Elly Schlein: "Volevo riportare Prodi nel Pd ma ora non sopporto più le troppe scelte di destra"". La Repubblica. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  18. ^ Testa, Tiziana (12 April 2019). "Schlein: "Europarlamento addio, ecco perchè non mi ricandido"". La Repubblica. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  19. ^ Fornasini, Elisa (27 December 2019). "Regionali, maratona per il deposito delle liste". estense (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Inaugurato il comitato di 'Emilia Romagna Coraggiosa': "Al centro ambiente e lavoro"". RavennaToday (in Italian). 28 November 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. ^ Laino, Gianmichele (27 January 2020). "Elly Schlein è la candidata più votata nella storia delle elezioni in Emilia-Romagna". Giornalettismo (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ^ Gagliardi, Andrea (29 January 2020). "Elly Schlein, l'outsider di sinistra più votata in Emilia Romagna". Il Sole 24 ORE (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Emilia-Romagna, la nuova vicepresidente della Regione è Elly Schlein". la Repubblica (in Italian). 11 February 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Parlamentari eletti alle politiche in Emilia Romagna: chi sono". il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 27 September 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  25. ^ "XIX Legislatura - Deputati e Organi - Scheda deputato - SCHLEIN Elly". Camera dei deputati (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  26. ^ "Elly Schlein ha fatto capire che vuole candidarsi alla segreteria del PD". Il Post (in Italian). 11 November 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  27. ^ Balmer, Crispian (27 February 2023). "In surprise result, Italy's left picks Elly Schlein to rebuild party". Reuters. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  28. ^ "Stefano Bonaccini ed Elly Schlein sono i due candidati alla segreteria del PD". Il Post (in Italian). 20 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  29. ^ Nova, Redazione Agenzia (26 February 2023). "Elly Schlein è la nuova segretaria del Partito democratico". Agenzia Nova (in Italian). Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  30. ^ "Chi è Elly Schlein, la nuova segretaria del PD". Il Post (in Italian). 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  31. ^ "Chi è Elly Schlein, la nuova segretaria del Pd e prima donna a guidare il partito". Fanpage (in Italian). 27 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  32. ^ Giuffrida, Angela (27 February 2023). "Elly Schlein voted leader of Italy's most important leftwing party in surprise win". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  33. ^ "Pd, Bonaccini eletto presidente. Schlein: 'Basta liti interne'". tg24.sky.it (in Italian). 12 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  34. ^ "Surrogate motherhood, Schlein says she is in favour of gestation for others: "Open for comparison in the Democratic Party"" (in Italian). Fanpage. 19 April 2023. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  35. ^ "European Championships: Meloni and Schlein rejoice, disappointment for Conte. Forza Italia surpasses the League". Agenzia Nova. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  36. ^ "Papà Schlein imbarazza la figlia Elly: "Col mitra sotto il letto, non sono d'accordo con lei"". liberoquotidiano.it. liberoquotidiano.it. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  37. ^ "Schlein condanna lo Stato ebraico. "Basta armi a Israele, fa crimini di guerra"". ilgiornale.it. ilgiornale.it. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  38. ^ "Manifestazione per Gaza, organizzatori: "300mila in piazza". Schlein: Italia che non tace". tg24.sky.it. tg24.sky.it. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  39. ^ "Hannoun, altro che solo "simpatizzante". L'amico di Pd e M5S al fianco dei capi di Hamas". iltempo.it. iltempo.it. 24 August 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  40. ^ "Pd, M5S e Avs tacciono ancora sui legami con Hamas e non prendono le distanze da chi elogia il 7 ottobre". iltempo.it/. iltempo.it/. 9 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  41. ^ "Hannoun minaccia Il Tempo: "Nazifascisti, uniti contro di loro"". iltempo.it. iltempo.it. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  42. ^ "Guerra Iran-Israele: Schlein con gli ayatollah, a questo è arrivato il Partito democratico, una deriva orribile". ilriformista.it/. ilriformista.it/. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  43. ^ "Meloni-Schlein, duello nelle Marche su odio e salario". ansa.it. ansa.it. 17 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  44. ^ "Schlein a Meloni: «Vi batteremo, non ve lo faremo più il favore di dividerci». E si collega con la Flotilla". ilmessaggero.it/. ilmessaggero.it/. 14 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  45. ^ "Schlein "L'occupazione di Gaza va fermata, l'Italia non sia complice"". lanuovasardegna.it. lanuovasardegna.it. 16 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  46. ^ "Schlein, su sanzioni ai Comuni fanno ciò che non fa il governo". ansa.it. ansa.it. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  47. ^ "Towns doing what govt won't on Israel sanctions - Schlein". ansa.it. ansa.it. 18 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  48. ^ "Israele, sì al piano su Gaza. Schlein: "Disegno criminale, Netanyahu va fermato"". liberoquotidiano.it. liberoquotidiano.it. 5 May 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  49. ^ "Schlein su Gaza: "Riconoscere la Palestina per fermare i crimini del governo Netanyahu"". lastampa.it. lastampa.it. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  50. ^ "Schlein, Meloni confeziona spot sulla Rai ma non spiega su Gaza". ansa.it. ansa.it. 21 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  51. ^ "Scioperi e proteste, Schlein minaccia. E il Campidoglio alza il vessillo palestinese". ilgiornale.it. ilgiornale.it. 20 September 2025. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  52. ^ "Iran, incontro da remoto Mohammadi-Schlein". ellyschlein.it. ellyschlein.it. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  53. ^ "Elly Schlein, carezza all'Iran e sparate contro Meloni: "Chi sono i veri responsabili"". liberoquotidiano.it/. liberoquotidiano.it/. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  54. ^ "Iran: Schlein a Meloni, 'non si schiacci su Trump e assuma iniziativa contro escalation'". iltirreno.it. iltirreno.it. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  55. ^ "Iran: Schlein, 'Ue agisca subito, serve azione diplomatica forte'". lanuovasardegna.it. lanuovasardegna.it. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  56. ^ "Iran, anche Schlein scarica il regime: "Sosteniamo le proteste del popolo"". iltempo.it/. iltempo.it/. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  57. ^ "Meloni: "Intervento Usa in Venezuela legittimo". Schlein: "Trump vìola diritto internazionale"". agi.it. agi.it. 3 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  58. ^ "Venezuela, il Pd si schiera con Maduro: "Non si esporta la democrazia con le bombe"". iltempo.it. iltempo.it. 3 January 2026. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  59. ^ "La prigionia di Alberto Trentini in Venezuela, la madre: "Meloni si attivi, basta silenzio"". rainews.it. rainews.it. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  60. ^ "Caso Trentini, Schlein tutta appelli e propaganda. Fidanza le rinfresca la memoria: oggi si risveglia, ma fino a ieri taceva su Maduro e detenuti italiani nelle caienne (video)". secoloditalia.it. secoloditalia.it. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  61. ^ "Direzione Pd, Schlein: "Supporto a Ucraina, anche con aiuti militari". E agli oppositori interni: "Bene le critiche ma serve lealtà"". repubblica.it. repubblica.it. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  62. ^ Zincone, Vittorio (21 February 2020). "Elly Schlein, amori bisex e la politica per caso: «Ma io sognavo il cinema»". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  63. ^ "Il coming out di Elly Schlein è perfetto perché non esiste un coming out perfetto". Gaypost.it (in Italian). 14 February 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  64. ^ "Elly Schlein, una donna queer candidata alla segreteria PD - Gay.it". Gay.it (in Italian). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  65. ^ Ciusa, Maria Luisa Porcella (5 April 2023). "Paola Belloni, compagna cagliaritana di Elly Schlein si sfoga contro le foto rubate della sua quotidianità". cagliari.vistanet.it (in Italian). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  66. ^ "Elly Schlein è la prima donna alla guida del Pd: "Bisessuale, femminista e progressista" - Luce" (in Italian). 26 February 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  67. ^ Stamouli, Nektaria (2 December 2022). "Italian diplomat's car torched in Athens". Politico. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

Further reading

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