Today the Council of Ministers

Third term, the government challenges the Trento law. The League votes against

Last day to raise the issue at the Constitutional Court

by Redaction Rome

19 May 2025

Salvini: "Terzo mandato? Nessuno la pensa come la Lega"

3' min read

Key points

Bignami (Fdi): logical to challenge Trentino law on mandates
The stop in Campania
The Fedriga case in Friuli Venezia Giulia

3' min read

The Council of Ministers has resolved to challenge before the Constitutional Court the law of the Autonomous Province of Trento that increased the limit of consecutive mandates for the president of the Province from two to three. The resolution came after a rather debated discussion among the ministers, and with the League voting against. Regional Affairs Minister Roberto Calderoli and Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, among others, intervened. Today was the last day to raise the issue at the Constitutional Court. It concerns the rule that would allow the candidature of Maurizio Fugatti for the third time for the autonomous province of Trento.

Bignami (Fdi): logical to challenge Trentino law on mandates

'Given the Consulta's ruling,' points out Galeazzo Bignami, FdI group leader in the Chamber of Deputies, 'I believe that the limit must be applied in all regions. Unless there are specific connotations of special statute, which I don't think there are, I think the appeal is the logical consequence'.

The choice sees the League cold and agitates the waters in the majority. The vice-premier's party - in fact - has always been against the ceiling on mandates and has already suffered the ruling on De Luca that has also put Luca Zaia out of the running, at least for the next round. In recent weeks, among other things, the Minister for Regional Affairs, the Leghist Roberto Calderoli, has publicly declared that, in his opinion, the appeal has no technical reasons, fearing, instead, the presence of political reasons. Moreover, the approval in April, in the Trentino Council, of the law wanted by the League, which increases from two to three the maximum consecutive mandates for the president of the Autonomous Province, had caused tension in Fratelli d'Italia with three councillors dissenting.

After that, the League warns that, once the question has been raised, any decision by the Consulta will have to be accepted and that the decision might not even be to extend what was decided for Campania and the ordinary regions to the autonomous ones.

The stop in Campania

The government had already challenged and obtained the Consulta's stop on Campania's law for Vincenzo De Luca's third term of office. An intervention, however, limited to 'ordinary regions', while in the cases of the rule of Trentino and the possible rule of Friuli Venezia Giulia, we speak of special statute regions.

The Fedriga case in Friuli Venezia Giulia

In the event of a stop to the one in Trentino, the fallout could also be on Friuli, a region with a special statute, where Massimiliano Fedriga would possibly be open to a new run. 'The government of special regions,' Fedriga points out, 'and also the organisation of self-government, is decided by the region, the regional council or the provincial council. It seems to me the most correct way to interpret the Consulta's ruling'.

The Lega Nord governor could try to pass a law allowing a third term in office, extinguishing FdI's ambitions. Which, for its part, believes that the limit should be applied in all regions. A consideration that leaves the League cold who, in the wake of De Luca's rejection, sees a domino effect also on Luca Zaia in Veneto. Moreover, the approval in April, in the Trentino Council, of the law wanted by the League, which increases from two to three the maximum consecutive mandates for the president of the Autonomous Province, had caused tensions in Fratelli d'Italia with three councillors dissenting. Moreover, if the regional government were to fall, Fedriga would be helped by the Friuli law that would authorise a new candidacy.

The Region voted on 2 and 3 April 2023 for a five-year term of office (until 2028) and according to Regional Law 17 of 2007 (later updated) should the President find himself in the minority and therefore the Council dissolve before two years, six months and one day, the same chief executive could run again. And in this case, it would not be a third term. A path that could lead Fedriga - who enjoys strong personal consensus - to a new mandate that would not count as a third term.