The recent approval of the Calderoli bill on differentiated autonomy in Veneto and Lombardy has marked a significant milestone for the League party. Founded by Umberto Bossi, the party celebrated its 40th anniversary and realized its “dream” of achieving autonomist battles.
The journey towards differentiated autonomy began in Veneto, with initiatives for holding referendums on the topic. In 2014, Luca Zaia, governor of Veneto, approved a referendum law that allowed citizens to express their desire for new forms of autonomy. Despite initial opposition from the government, the Constitutional Court eventually paved the way for a consultative referendum in Veneto and Lombardy. This reform was signed into law in 2018, and negotiations with the State for transferring certain powers will soon begin.
While the League party celebrated this achievement, discontent arose among the governors of Southern Italy. Some expressed skepticism about the reform and its implications, leading to tensions within the center-right coalition. However, overall, the approval of the autonomy reform marks an important milestone in Italian regional governance.
Giancarlo Giorgetti’s emotion in Chamber and Matteo Salvini’s presence at Friday’s event were both significant events for the League party. The green light for this bill came after eleven hours of debate, with Minister of Regional Affairs Calderoli being instrumental in pushing it through.
The governors Attilio Fontana (Lombardy) and Luca Zaia played crucial roles in achieving this achievement. They were instrumental in pushing forward initiatives for holding referendums on differentiated autonomy and eventually paving the way for negotiations with Rome to transfer certain powers.
Overall, this approval marks an important milestone in Italian regional governance and opens up new possibilities for greater autonomy at a local level.
