In surprise result, Italy's left picks Elly Schlein to rebuild party

FILE PHOTO: Vice President of Emilia-Romagna Elly Schlein sits in the lower house of parliament during the first voting session to elect the new speaker in Rome, Italy, October 13, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's opposition centre-left Democratic Party (PD) picked Elly Schlein, a 37-year-old U.S.-Italian national who grew up in Switzerland, to be its new leader and rebuild the group after its election rout last year.

Despite trailing in the polls, Schlein defeated veteran PD stalwart Stefano Bonaccini in a ballot of PD supporters on Sunday by around 54% to 46%, after promising to make her party more radical to challenge the ruling conservative coalition.