PoliticianPolitical leaning: LiberalProfile last reviewed: 2026-07-30
Giuseppe Conte
President, Five Star Movement (M5S)
Turbo-pacifist populist who rejects betting on military victory in Ukraine, urges mediators over arms, demands suspending military cooperation with Israel and recognising Palestine, and says disoriented Europe should let the US lead negotiations.
Giuseppe Conte leads the Five Star Movement after serving twice as prime minister. In 2025–26 he called continuing to pin hopes on military victory in Ukraine madness, labelled EU rearmament a failed warmongering bet, told TPI Italy should suspend arms cooperation with Israel and recognise Palestine, and said Europe is completely disoriented and should leave negotiations to the United States.
Basis for the leaning assessment
Editorial estimate; community votes and AI should override. Left-populist on peace and Gaza; sceptical of EU military escalation — M5S leader straddling progressive camp and sovereigntist peace rhetoric.
Current Stances
Stances are editorial interpretations, always shown with the statements and actions they rest on.
War & Peaceobserved 2025-05-13 – 2026-06-10
Reject military victory strategy; prioritise negotiation
Conte repeatedly calls EU rearmament and hopes for Ukrainian military victory a failed bet, urging diplomacy and saying Europe should accept US-led negotiations.
Supporting statements & actions (3)
2025-05-13Speech
The warmongering strategy of betting on military victory against Russia is a failed bet. The negotiated solution is the only possible one.
Protest with M5S MEPs and youth activists against EU rearmament plans in Ukraine.
Conte warned that converting industry from cars to missiles locks Europe into permanent militarisation.
2025-12-11Speech
Europe is completely disoriented. It bet on military victory over Russia and now has no alternative. Therefore let the United States conduct the negotiation.
Press conference remarks on Ukraine peace talks that split Italy's broad progressive camp.
PD reformists mocked Conte's words as indistinguishable from far-right sovereigntist talking points.
Israel & Palestineobserved 2025-05-29 – 2025-05-29
Suspend Israel military cooperation; recognise Palestine; EU sanctions
Conte demands ending arms transfers to Israel, recalling Italy's ambassador, and EU sanctions while recognising Palestinian statehood.
Supporting statements & actions (1)
2025-05-29Interview
I would have suspended every agreement of military cooperation with Israel, stopped any residual supply of weapons, and asked the European Council to adopt a heavy package of EU sanctions against Israel while formally recognising the State of Palestine.
TPI interview outlining what Conte would do as premier on Gaza and Israel arms cooperation.
Conte contrasted Meloni's government with Spain's sharper condemnation of Israeli conduct in Gaza.
Wealth & Inequalityobserved 2026-06-10 – 2026-06-10
Redirect military spending to youth and welfare
Conte frames M5S priorities around retaining young Italians and an alternative government agenda, contrasting militarisation with social investment.
Supporting statements & actions (1)
2026-06-10Speech
If we had invested in what costs nothing — dialogue and diplomacy — rather than continuing to fund a military escalation, we would have avoided destruction and hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Same Brussels event arguing Italy should have pushed for negotiations from the start.
Goals
Short-term
Suspend Israel arms and recognise Palestine
ActiveEnd military cooperation with Israel and pursue EU sanctions plus Italian recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Declared: 2025-05-29Source ↗
Long-term
None recorded
Consistency Tracker
Does each new statement or decision square with the record? Verdicts are not accusations: both sides of the record are presented so readers can judge for themselves.
Consistent
Earlier statement / action
2025-05-13Speech
The warmongering strategy of betting on military victory against Russia is a failed bet. The negotiated solution is the only possible one.
Protest with M5S MEPs and youth activists against EU rearmament plans in Ukraine.
Conte warned that converting industry from cars to missiles locks Europe into permanent militarisation.
Later statement / action
2026-06-10Speech
Continuing to pin hopes on military victory is madness, given the failure of recent years. A shift towards negotiation is the only possible way forward.
Remarks with M5S Youth Network activists outside the European Parliament in Brussels.
Conte's 'madness' line drew rebukes from PD reformists who accused M5S of aligning with sovereigntist peace rhetoric.
Conte has maintained that military victory is unattainable since 2025. Supporters call it principled pacifism; critics say he ignores Ukraine's right to self-defence. Both Brussels speeches reject rearmament and demand negotiation.
Most-Cited Sources from Voterscommunity reading list
Articles readers attached to their poll votes as evidence. Only pages cited independently by two or more voters are listed.
- 1www.eunews.it/en/2026/06/10/ukraine-conte-m5s-it-is-madness-to-keep-betting-on-a-military-victory ↗
Cited by 9 voters
Liberal 6Conservative 3 - 2www.tpi.it/politica/gaza-ucraina-governo-intervista-giuseppe-conte-m5s-202505291184477 ↗
Cited by 5 voters
Liberal 2Conservative 3 - 3
Most-Discussed Moments
The statements and actions that set social media on fire — top 4, in chronological order. Every entry links to its source.
- 2025-05-13Speech
The warmongering strategy of betting on military victory against Russia is a failed bet. The negotiated solution is the only possible one.
Protest with M5S MEPs and youth activists against EU rearmament plans in Ukraine.
Conte warned that converting industry from cars to missiles locks Europe into permanent militarisation.
- 2025-05-29Interview
I would have suspended every agreement of military cooperation with Israel, stopped any residual supply of weapons, and asked the European Council to adopt a heavy package of EU sanctions against Israel while formally recognising the State of Palestine.
TPI interview outlining what Conte would do as premier on Gaza and Israel arms cooperation.
Conte contrasted Meloni's government with Spain's sharper condemnation of Israeli conduct in Gaza.
Timeline of Statements & Actions6 records, newest first
2026-06-10Speech
If we had invested in what costs nothing — dialogue and diplomacy — rather than continuing to fund a military escalation, we would have avoided destruction and hundreds of thousands of deaths.
Same Brussels event arguing Italy should have pushed for negotiations from the start.
2026-06-10Speech
Continuing to pin hopes on military victory is madness, given the failure of recent years. A shift towards negotiation is the only possible way forward.
Remarks with M5S Youth Network activists outside the European Parliament in Brussels.
Conte's 'madness' line drew rebukes from PD reformists who accused M5S of aligning with sovereigntist peace rhetoric.
2025-12-11Speech
Europe is completely disoriented. It bet on military victory over Russia and now has no alternative. Therefore let the United States conduct the negotiation.
Press conference remarks on Ukraine peace talks that split Italy's broad progressive camp.
PD reformists mocked Conte's words as indistinguishable from far-right sovereigntist talking points.