ANALYSIS: Italy's Former Secessionists Push To Lead Nation

By Silvia Marchetti

     Italy's leading populist party, until now known as Lega Nord (Northern

League), is pushing to establish itself as a national force ahead of next year's

general elections, undergoing a makeover in a bid to lure southern voters. 

     Its ultimate goal is to increase support across the country in order to

become the major government stakeholder were a center-right coalition to rise to

power. Its leader, Matteo Salvini, bolstered by the recent autonomy referendums

in the northern rich Lombardy and Veneto regions, has decided to scrap the

geographical title "Nord" and rename his party simply "Lega" in an attempt to

appeal to the poorer south as well.

     Salvini, in a recent interview with Market News, said he wanted to exit the

euro and to push for a revision of EU treaties if he came to power, so if the

party's rebrand works it will fuel concerns over Italy's approach to the EU.

     The rebrand is a turning point in the party's 28 year-history. The Lega

started off as a tiny, northern secessionist group in 1989 with just 4% support

which has now grown to above 15%, roughly the same level as former premier

Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia.

     While this "new" Lega may appear to have abandoned its original separatist

ideals, Massimiliano Fedriga, party spokesman at the Senate, argued that the

makeover was not a break with past but "a sign of continuity with the party's

mission of exporting nationwide the ideals of greater regional autonomy and

federalism".

     "Our model can be adopted in the south and in the north, in Lombardy and

Sicily alike, because it valorizes local identities and territorial, regional

autonomies", said Fedriga.

     The first test will come on November 5 when Sicily's regional elections

will take place. For the first time the Lega will take part in the southern

vote, supporting a centre-right coalition candidate who is expected to win. 

     The Lega already governs 1,000 towns and cities, including in deep Sicily,

together with its main allies: Berlusconi's party and Fratelli d'Italia, a

minor, former fascist group.

     "Localisms today are an added value that can contrast disruptive centralist

models like the one (former premier Matteo) Renzi wanted to force upon us, but

luckily Italians rejected his constitutional reform referendum", said Fedriga.

     Fedriga stressed that the two recent referendums in the north for greater

autonomy could be exported anywhere in Italy, and that it was "no paradox" that

the Lega was pushing for national status in the aftermath of regional

pro-autonomy victories.

     "This has always been our core mission: to valorise territories, which is

the only, real concrete electoral theme today worth debating on, even more than

immigration. Our political project can work across the entire peninsula",

Fedriga said, acknowledging however that the secessionist dream had been

abandoned for the greater good.

     During the pro-autonomy referenda campaign Salvini's Lega was careful not

to exploit the Catalonia independence case.

     "We look for a compromise between pure centralism and secessionism, and

there are plenty of successful models available. In Italy, there already are 5

regions that enjoy a special statute granting them more freedom in law-making

and handling of taxes, while in Europe, Switzerland is without doubt the

perfect, most efficient example of confederation", he added.

     Fedriga said the Lega is likely to join forces with its "natural allies"

Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia at the upcoming national elections, given

they had already teamed up at local votes, but so far no shared program has been

defined.

     Italian voters will be called to the ballots in March-April. However, local

vote results in Italy have not always been reliable in predicting what happens

on a wider, national scale. Lega leader Salvini is running for premier but his

future will depend on how poorly, or how well, Berlusconi's party fares.

     Salvini and Berlusconi will probably fight together against the Democrats

and the 5 Star Movement, but they remain rivals. The ballot boxes will score the

fight between the two for the leadership of the center-right.

     According to Andrea Ungari, professor of history and theory of political

parties at Rome's LUISS University, Salvini's decision to abandon all "regional"

reference to the north in the Lega's new, more appealing party name has the

ultimate goal of ousting ally-contender Berlusconi by replacing him as the

leader of a future center-right government.

     "Lega is transcending regional boundaries and its local dimension by

exploiting localisms as an electoral issue, an asset Berlusconi lacks. Salvini

wants it to be a national party and given there are very high chances the

centre-right might win next year's elections, if Lega gets more votes than Forza

Italia then Salvini is automatically premier", said Ungari.

     Recent studies suggest that Italy's new voting system, mostly proportional

and which favours the formation of coalitions might help Lega surpass Forza

Italia and win the centre-right crown.

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2223; email: david.robinson@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203 865 3809; email: kieran.williams@marketnews.com

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