Milan, Lega: 10,000 voters in the primaries. Salvini backs Sardone
The Carroccio speaks of ‘high turnout’. The results will be announced on the morning of Monday 22 June. The possibility of coalition primaries is being discussed
Key points
‘Around 10,000’ Milanese residents visited the 38 information stands set up by the Lega across the city to ask party members to put forward a proposed mayoral candidate and set out priorities ahead of the upcoming 2027 local elections in the Lombard capital. The Lega announced this in a statement, describing the turnout as ‘high’.
The turnout, it is reported, has ‘exceeded the expectations’ of the organisers, who have expressed ‘satisfaction at the high level of participation recorded – despite the high temperatures of recent days – not only from Lega voters but from the centre-right in general’. The results of the primaries, the League concludes, will be announced on the morning of Monday 22 June.
Salvini: I’d like Sardone to stand as a mayoral candidate
Standing by the League’s campaign stalls, party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini put forward his suggestion: ‘A mayoral candidate I’d like to see is Silvia Sardone. Once the results are in tomorrow morning, we’ll put them forward to the centre-right in the hope that a name will be decided by the summer. The League won’t impose anyone, but we believe we have both men and women, as well as ideas, to offer.”
The main coalition scenarios
According to Salvini, ‘Sardone knows Milan and loves Milan,’ Salvini explained, ‘I’m not interested in the headline “The League wants the mayor”. Majorino? He’s definitely beatable. I don’t know how the left will choose their candidate, but I’m not worried. The only thing I fear is the centre-right dragging its feet, as it did last time, because when you only put forward a mayoral candidate a few weeks before the election, it’s clear that the people of Milan won’t have any of it.” Finally, the Carroccio secretary revived the idea of coalition primaries: “If we want to choose the centre-right mayor who will send the PD packing and make people forget the paltry, meaningless displays at the polling booths, why not?”
Sardone: ready to stand if we hold coalition primaries for Milan
One possibility – that of coalition primaries – has also been put forward by Sardone herself: ‘We’d need coalition primaries. If we hold them – and, of course, provided my party agrees – I’ll stand. Let’s see if the others are on board. Otherwise, the leaders will decide; my opinion counts for little.’
