Matteo’s third way: what lessons could Labour learn from Renzi’s success in Italy?

Traditional centre-left parties have experienced difficult electoral results and low polling ratings in a number of European countries in recent years, including the Labour Party in the UK, the SPD in Germany, the PS in France and the PSOE in Spain. Yet one significant exception has been the success of Matteo Renzi and his Democratic Party in Italy, who have enjoyed strong polling figures since Renzi became Italian Prime Minister in February 2014. Francesco Amodio and Angelo Martelli write on Renzi’s success and assess whether there are lessons for other centre-left parties in Europe, notably in the UK given the current Labour leadership contest.