Lega youth at Pontida: Vannacci moderate, we are not

'Vannacci is a moderate we are not'. This is the chorus intoned by the young people of the Lega Lega, who have just arrived on the Pontida lawn for the demonstration that anticipates the party rally by one day. Writings and chants about the Lega identity and against immigration. But on Pontida's pratone there were also protests against the leader of Azione Carlo Calenda, guest at the Forza Italia youth event in San Benedetto del Tronto last weekend. A general and a captain together at Pontida. With Matteo Salvini who, after the announcement of his kidney colic and passage to the emergency room, did not desert the Pontida of the young people and was hailed as captain ('There is only one captain,' was the chorus that greeted him). Salvini arrived as Vannacci was closing his speech, the undisputed protagonist up to that moment amidst the onslaught of reporters and militants, greeted to the cry of 'there is only one general'. 'We have shown that the League is one, and no one will ever be able to divide it,' concludes youth coordinator Luca Toccalini, before the photo with the two protagonists, all together at the foot of the stage.

"The League of today is the League of 30 years ago: TV, radio, newspapers have it in for us. University barons, student collectives, the big financiers, the big banks, the big trade unions, they saw us as a foreign body to be wiped out 30 years ago, they see us as a contingency to be wiped out even today. They didn't succeed 30 years ago, they won't succeed today, and they never will. The League is the League, if we need to be alone against everyone, but the League is the League,' said Matteo Salvini from the stage of the Pontida youths, where he arrived, as a surprise, after it had been reported in the morning that he was absent due to kidney colic. "When my friends in the Chiari emergency room discharged me today, they said: 'Minister, you must rest. My rest is you,' he said from the stage set up under the marquee for the event organised by the party's youth. Salvini, after a tribute to Umberto Bossi, whom he went to say hello to for his birthday wishes, did not mince his words: 'One thing unites the League of today with that of thirty years ago: newspapers, university barons, student collectives, the unions, powerful friends in Rome and Brussels have it in for us and 'it's the League's fault'. They saw us thirty years ago as a foreign body to be wiped out, they see us as an unforeseen today to be wiped out. They will never erase us. The League is the League. If it takes us alone against everyone, but the League is the League'.

'A general, there is only one general'. This is how the audience of young people of the League welcomed the arrival of the deputy secretary of the League in Pontida, amidst choruses and applause. Vannacci took the stage wearing a T-shirt with Charlie Kirk's face and the words 'Freedom'. 'All of us here today are like Charlie Kirk and we will carry his legacy in our blood, in our veins and among the people,' he told the young people on the Pontida lawn. Does Vannacci aspire to return to Pontida as secretary of the League? "No, I aspire to continue doing my job, which is that of MEP, to the best of my ability. This is the mandate given to me by 563 thousand voters,' replied the current deputy secretary of the Carroccio, arriving in Pontida. "I came here to bring myself. In the League, everyone brings the best of themselves. I vannaccizzo, Fontana fontanizza, Romeo romeizza and we will make the League great,' said Vannacci, replying to a question on the alleged 'vannacization' of the League.

Then the war. "I have always said that Russia's aggression against Ukraine is not justified. I have always repudiated war, the war between Ukraine and Russia, and I have always said that we must seek peace. And so I am against all-out war, which instead this social-democratic Europe is feeding us'. A reasonable peace is needed. "I attack anyone who wants to continue the war, and this war cannot be won unless there is a direct intervention by the European Union or NATO, which would lead us to the abyss of thermonuclear destruction. I am saying that today's reasonable peace is better, which will cost us less than tomorrow's peace'. Then the regionals. 'I have discussed the lists in Tuscany with the regional secretary, who is the person entitled to do so. I did not choose people at random, I chose Baroncini who is the regional secretary of Tuscany,' said Vannacci speaking to reporters at Pontida.

"There are no Cossacks in Pontida, no Russian navy men landing on our shores, no Russians invading our shops and towns. The only invaders are those who violate our borders, who enter illegally and commit rapes and crimes every day,' Vannacci said at the end of his speech in Pontida. 'I make my own escort,' he said, stressing that he was not afraid, but was aware of the risks. 'Saviano has the escort and I don't'.