Third term rejected, Lega Lega amendment fails to pass Senate. Calderoli: 'Bitter stop'

The League's amendment on the third term of office for governors did not pass: in the Senate Constitutional Affairs Commission the proposal obtained only 5 votes in favour (in addition to the League also Iv and the representative of the Autonomies) and 15 against. Commission President Alberto Balboni (FdI) and FdI Senator Domenico Matera abstained.

Thus the curtain falls on the third term. Before the vote in the Commission, Fratelli d'Italia had let it be known that without an agreement between Lega and Fi the umpteenth leghist amendment would not have got its yes. Forza Italia has always remained granitic, against the third mandate from beginning to end: "It is a matter of principle, we have always said that we would not have voted", Antonio Tajani reiterated, pointing out that "the centre-right is not founded on the third mandate". Matteo Salvini, with little passion, had limited himself to saying immediately afterwards that he had to see 'the vote in committee'. The vote then rejected the leghist proposal.

The go-ahead for a third term would have granted an extra five years to the governors, and put back on track in one fell swoop not only Luca Zaia in Veneto, but also Vincenzo De Luca in Campania and Michele Emiliano in Puglia, just to mention the Regions concerned by the autumn election round. Now that the project has foundered - whether it was a real opening or a tactical bluff - there remains the knot that the centre-right has been unable to untie for months. Who will succeed the 'doge' Zaia? The League claims continuity, Fdi the electoral weight, Forza Italia stands at the window. The parties on the ground are seething, the supporters remain divided between those who are convinced that Matteo Salvini will win in the end, with the candidature of the little more than 30-year-old Alberto Stefani, who is already his deputy, a Legahist deputy and also secretary of the Liga Veneta. That is, if Giorgia Meloni decides to leave the Veneto to the Lega Nord (in which case she will focus on Lombardy). The very last word will have to come from the leaders. When, and if, they sit down at the table.

"Our position is absolutely clear, it is the fifth time we have tabled the amendment, there was also a hypothesis of a potential agreement that was not found, and with bitterness I must say that today it has been rejected for the fifth time. However, I believe that the third term is right not only for Regions and Provinces with special statutes, but also for ordinary ones'. This was said by the Minister for Regional Affairs Roberto Calderoli at the end of the Senate Constitutional Affairs Commission session where the League's amendment on the third mandate was rejected.