Carroccio

Musk at the League congress: 'I hope zero tariffs in the future between the US and the EU'. The party's pressure: Salvini to return to the Viminal

Salvini opens the Lega Lega's federal congress in Florence with an appeal for dialogue with the US on tariffs and a criticism of EU policies. He claims the party's history and looks to the future

5 April 2025

MATTEO SALVINI MINISTRO DEI TRASPORTI CONGRESSO FEDERALE LEGA

4' min read

On tariffs 'there has to be negotiation with the US government, better dialogue than war. What can change are the EU's suicidal policies: zeroing in on the green deal, the electricity binge, the stability pact, the damage done to farmers. They talk about the dangers of Trump's tariffs on European cars but according to the crazy directives 7 million Euro-5 vehicles should be outlawed in a few weeks. While waiting to bring home a useful negotiation with the US let's zero out the suicidal EU policies that are massacring our companies, let's zero out the European bureaucracy'. So said the leader of the Lega Matteo Salvini opening the party's federal congress in Florence.

Zaia: ahead on Autonomy

'Loyal to the majority? Loyalty is for dogs, we are loyal. We very loyally remind the majority that we have made a commitment to the citizens on reforms and autonomy. Either we do them by choice or we will have to do them by necessity'. So said the President of the Veneto Region, Luca Zaia, at the Lega Nord congress in Florence.

Crippa: gypsies should not be in Italy, stop building mosques

'There are words that can no longer be said, because they are considered uncomfortable, from my point of view for example anyone who arrives in Italy without a residence permit and a job is an illegal immigrant, anyone who bivouacs in many areas of our towns and cities is not a Romanian citizen but a gypsy. Illegal immigrants and gypsies should not be in Italy'. This was said by the League's deputy secretary, Andrea Crippa, speaking from the stage of the Lega di Firenze. Then quoting Oriana Fallaci he added: 'From my point of view a mosque should no longer be built in any city in Italy'.

The Musk connection

"It is difficult to reduce bureaucracy, we are very transparent, any action is posted on the website and on X, we are accused of anything, in fact we cut absurd expenses, but they attack us fiercely". So says Elon Musk, connected to the Lega congress, answering Matteo Salvini's questions from the stage in Florence. 'Those who want to reduce freedom of expression, they are a Mussolini, a Stalin, a Hitler, the restrictions are of a fascist setting,' he adds further.

Musk: hope for zero tariffs between US and EU

"I hope that the US and Europe can achieve a very close partnership, there is already an alliance but I hope it will be closer and stronger. And on tariffs we will move to a zero tariff situation in the future, to a free trade zone". This was said by Elon Musk in a video link-up with the Lega congress, responding to a question from Matteo Salvini. Musk added: 'That's my hope for the future,' he added, assuring that 'that's the advice I gave to the president (Trump, ed.)'.

League Congress: Salvini returns to the Viminal, ask for that role

From the Lega congress, through the parliamentary group leaders, comes the request that Matteo Salvini return to the Viminale. And the proposal was welcomed by the audience with applause and everyone standing (Salvini remains seated, in the front row). Riccardo Molinari, president of the Legahist deputies, was the first to ask for it during the assembly underway in Florence: 'I believe that Congress must ask Matteo Salvini for the sacrifice of asking for that position again, for the League, and Salvini, who has emerged unscathed from an unfair trial, is the best guarantor of our country's security'. Massimiliano Romeo, his counterpart in the Senate, reiterated: 'We must at all costs follow this path'.

Axis with the government

"The League and the government are one, you will see this with today's and tomorrow's messages, let Conte and Schlein rest their souls. The League is a guarantee that the government will have a long life, it is the glue of the government". This was said by the League's secretary and deputy premier Matteo Salvini, opening the party congress in Florence, and hinting that messages from the government's allies will arrive over the weekend.

Romeo to Meloni: all northern regions must remain with the League

'I share the utmost loyalty within the centre-right, but, at a certain point, we who are party of the territory must propose this reasoning to Meloni: all the northern regions where the League governs must remain with the League, including Lombardy'. This was said by the Lega's group leader in the Senate and party secretary in Lombardy, Massimiliano Romeo, speaking at the Carroccio's federal congress in Florence.

Attack on the EU

Umberto Bossi, Roberto Maroni, Matteo Salvini on one side; Romano Prodi, Mario Monti, Giorgio Napolitano, as well as Merkel, Sarkozy and Juncker on the other: the League's congress opens with a frontal attack on Europe, inscribing the Florence appointment in a history that started in 1167 in Pontida, when "the Lombard League united to fight Barbarossa's imperialism and obtained freedom and autonomy", passing through 1571 in Lepanto when "the Holy League united against the Islamic empire and obtained freedom and autonomy", up to precisely "in Florence in 2025, our League does not surrender".

United Congress

A history, claimed Secretary Matteo Salvini as he opened the assembly, 'of consistency, courage, constancy, never conformity. I have read some of the motions, it will be a beautiful, rich, unitary congress not because there is only one candidate but because there are men and women from all over Italy who will build the future of Italy. It is the first national congress, welcome to Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont, and for the first time at a Lega Nord congress to Rome, Puglia, Sicily and all the regions of Italy'. For what Salvini calls a 'positive, constructive congress that looks to the future. To protect our borders, our savings, our homes, our jobs, our pensions, the future of our children'.

Images

And so on the screens run the images with the anti-European speeches of Umberto Bossi in 1997 and 1998, of Roberto Maroni in 2011, of Salvini himself in 2017. Contrast this with the words of Romano Prodi claiming the exchange rate between the lira and the euro, those of Mario Monti and Giorgio Napolitano against 'illusory claims of petty national interests', and images of Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy giggling at a press conference when asked about Silvio Berlusconi