Fontana against Vannacci: 'An anomaly'. Salvini attempts a last mediation

An anomaly. The 'old guard' of the North, linked to the issues of autonomy and federalism, raises its voice and makes all its impatience with Roberto Vannacci, now one step away from splitting. Yesterday it was the turn of the governor of Lombardy Attillo Fontana, who has never been tender with the general ("like hell we are going to get Vannacci," he said last September). "My first thought is that Vannacci is an anomaly within our movement," Fontana remarked on the sidelines of the Salone del Mobile presentation. 'If there are different approaches within a party, they can be a reason for enrichment,' he added. 'But creating circles, holding events outside the party, presenting and filing a new logo, making a new website is an anomaly'. Even if 'the secretary Salvini will make the assessments'.

The straw that broke the camel's back after months of fibrillation was the news of the 'National Future' symbol (a lictor-style font, with a tricolour wing in the centre that may even look like a stylised flame) tricolour deposited by Vannacci, for many the first step towards the constitution of a new political force placed even further to the right. A German Afd in Italian sauce.

It's not just Lombardy. The entire 'Northern' League, which interprets the party as a 'union of the territory' and is far removed from nostalgia for the general's X Mas, is in turmoil. "Other militants have been thrown out of the party for much less: either clarity or expulsion is obvious," said former councillor for economic development Roberto Marcato. Those close to Luca Zaia report the Doge's impatience with the moves of Vannacci, who in recent weeks has glossed over with a 'never say never' to questions about his ambitions to start a new party, after the experience that in just over a year led him to climb the League, winning half a million votes at the European elections and becoming deputy secretary. And there are those who say that Salvini would be ready to promote Zaia (fresh from the record of 203,000 preferences at the last regional elections in Veneto) as deputy secretary in place of Vannacci in case of a definitive break with the general. A move that would reposition the Carroccio on the axis of northern administrators.

Awaiting the face-to-face (perhaps at the weekend) in which Vannacci should clarify his intentions, Salvini tries to throw water on the fire. Yesterday, on the sidelines of the event at the Chamber in memory of Roberto Maroni he was ecumenical, declaring that 'in the League there is room for different sensitivities, we want to build, to grow, not to quarrel'. The impression is that the secretary will do everything he can to avoid Vannacci's farewell, which would drain votes to the right, weakening not only the League but also the centre-right if, as is likely, Vannacci stands outside the coalition in the 2027 elections.

But by now the general's organisational machine has been set in motion. And it seems very difficult to stop it. His 'followers', who are almost never members of the Carroccio, are pressing for the split because they are aware that they will have neither 'political agility' nor seats there when it comes to the vote. And in the internal chats they are already talking about the electoral programme and the percentages to be achieved. Even if the general seems to be holding back the 'troop'. At least until the meeting with Salvini. And yesterday he distanced himself from the pages and social profiles in the name of 'National Future' defining them as 'unauthorised' and threatening formal warnings. It is no coincidence that the first two posts published yesterday ('Italy, we are coming', 'Tired of the world in reverse? Futuro Nazionale is the solution')