Salvini resigns as party leader to stand for re-election. He also announces a change to the party logo
At Via Bellerio, the Federal Council was called upon to ratify the regulations for the extraordinary congress and to proceed with convening it on 24 and 25 October in Milan. At the end of the meeting, the League leader also announced the establishment of a political secretariat.
Key points
“The League’s congress is the best time to put ideas on the table. I have chosen to establish a political secretariat for the League to share the honours and burdens; we will certainly update the party emblem too, because the world is changing.” These are the developments announced by Matteo Salvini at the conclusion of the Federal Council meeting in Via Bellerio, which was convened to ratify the regulations for the extraordinary congress and to proceed with its convening in Milan on 24 and 25 October. The meeting was marked by Salvini’s resignation as secretary – a formal but necessary step, under the regulations, to enable him to stand for re-election. As a result, the deputy secretaries Claudio Durigon, Silvia Sardone and Alberto Stefani have also resigned. Until the congress, the treasurer Alberto Di Rubba, appointed acting deputy secretary, will carry out the duties of acting secretary.
With the political secretariat – the details of which are yet to be finalised – Salvini is responding to calls for a more collegial approach to decision-making. The change to the logo, on the other hand, could involve removing the reference to ‘Salvini premier’, partly in light of the new electoral law which requires the name of the candidate for Prime Minister to be stated. Salvini, however, is keeping his cards close to his chest. He adds: ‘We will discuss both matters at the party conference.’
No alternative candidates
Last month, following the surprise announcement made in Pontida of the extraordinary congress, Salvini had stated that he expected ‘the candidacy of someone else”. But everything suggests this will not happen. The wing comprising the northern regional governors (Attilio Fontana, Massimiliano Fedriga, Maurizio Fugatti and the former governor Luca Zaia), which has been pressing for months for a revival of the ‘northern question’ and a federal structure for the party (modelled on the Bavarian CDU/CSU) will not put forward an alternative candidate, not least because the congress delegates will be the same ones – loyal to the secretary – who elected Salvini to lead the party until 2029 at last year’s congress in Florence.
Salvini: the conference is open to all; it’s a shame for those who aren’t coming
When asked whether he expected at least one motion from the northern “dissidents”, Salvini replied: “I expect documents from everyone. There are no dissidents. I’m counting on the congress to bring forward many ideas and contributions, and I hope everyone who has something to say and something to offer will attend. If anyone decides not to come, I feel sorry for them. The congress is open; there will be people from all over Italia; there are people who will travel 800 km to come and listen and speak, so I hope there will be people bringing ideas and proposals – perhaps some of these proposals will even be useful.”
Fedriga: it is not certain that there will be motions from the governors
Even a motion by the “northerners” to formalise their position as a minority within the party is, in fact, unlikely at present. “I don’t know if we’ll table a motion.” “It’s not certain that there will be motions from the regional governors; we’re looking at the points under discussion.” “I certainly hope that, in general, we can give greater prominence to the issue of regional autonomy,” said the President of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Massimiliano Fedriga.
