Bucci in Liguria: Meloni's horse move to tackle election campaign and manoeuvre

The decision to nominate the current mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, as the candidate for the presidency of Liguria after Toti is bound to have effects far beyond the region's borders. Victory or defeat in the first electoral test to be held in the autumn (at the end of October) will in fact have an inevitable impact on the solidity of the majority and the government itself. Also because it will take place at the same time as the confrontation in parliament over the budget law, which - given the chronic shortage of resources - will fuel internal tensions and the need for the parties to plant their flags. It also allows the premier to break the stalemate brought about by the Sangiuliano scandal and the allies' constant demands on the budget law.

Losing Liguria, a region governed by the centre-right and thrown into crisis by the enquiry into former president Giovanni Toti, could mark a heavy setback not only for the government alliance but also for the premier herself and trigger a very dangerous domino effect given that, a few weeks later, the vote will be held in Emilia-Romagna and Umbria, where the centre-right was defeated in Perugia and Terni at the last local elections.

The choice of Bucci is the card used by Meloni to overturn a far from rosy outlook. The name of the mayor protagonist of the reconstruction after the Morandi bridge tragedy had never been included among the possible candidates also because of his health condition. Bucci, however, gave Meloni his full availability and all the parties of the centre-right alliance rallied around his candidacy. It was mainly the League that wanted him to be mayor, but Bucci cannot be defined as a Lega. Especially since Salvini had no intention of putting a Carroccio exponent in the race, both because of the high probability of defeat and because it would have paved the way for Meloni and Fratelli d'Italia to claim the leadership of Veneto. On the other hand, everyone agreed on Bucci's candidature, also because the other figures screened so far were not able to overturn what had emerged from the polls, that is, the probable victory of the centre-left, or rather of the broad camp united under the name of the former minister of justice and Pd bigwig, Andrea Orlando.

We will see in the coming days whether the investiture of the mayor of Genoa as governor will cause a reversal in favour of the centre-right. What is certain is that the centre-right is now faced not only with a respectable opponent but also with the probable rupture of the axis with the Renzians, who continue to support Bucci as mayor.