It is the redoubt to be defended at all costs. Matteo Salvini he repeats it to his people like a mantra: «Umbria cannot be touched». And it is as if the leader of the League was speaking to himself, in these hours of tensions and negotiations in the centre-right on the regional elections in which everything seems to be in question again. Especially after the latest judicial tile fell yesterday on the outgoing Northern League governor in Sardinia Christian Solinas: a seizure of assets worth 300 thousand euros ordered by the Guardia di Finanza as part of an investigation into corruption by the Cagliari prosecutor’s office.
European elections, Lega temptation: «Vannacci leaders everywhere». Salvini and the Regional issue: forward on the third mandate
THE RISK
Umbria, Sardinia, Basilicata: the risk continues. Together with the tug of war over the third mandate of the governors which can unblock Luca Zaia’s re-nomination in Veneto: “We will move forward, it is a question of democracy”, Salvini promised yesterday. To break the deadlock in Sardinia you have until Monday when the lists will be presented. On paper Solinas is still defended by the Northern League. Behind the scenes, however, work is being done on an honorable exit from the cul-de-sac, with the Northern League members reluctantly willing to support FdI candidate Paolo Truzzu, mayor of Cagliari.
An outcome considered probable at the League headquarters in via Bellerio, even more so in light of the new legal problems that hit the governor at the end of his mandate. Last night was the news of the precautionary seizure of goods and properties ordered by the Fiamme Gialle for a value of approximately 350 thousand euros against the Sardinian governor and six others under investigation for corruption. The seizure, requested by prosecutor Giangiacomo Pilia and signed by investigating judge Luca Melis, is part of the corruption investigation launched a year ago by the Cagliari prosecutor’s office. At the center of the investigation, as far as we know, is the sale of a property in Solinas by the Sardinian entrepreneur Roberto Zedda and the subsequent purchase of a house near Cagliari by the President of the Region. It’s raining when it’s wet, in short. And if officially Salvini’s line does not change guarantees until the end, the latest judicial stumble of the Sardinian president in search of an encore risks closing the curtain on his candidacy. First we need to find a balance between allies, perhaps in a new summit between Meloni, Salvini and Tajani on Saturday. Even if the distances remain.
The League wants compensation for the Sardinian defeat. Which? One of the regions voting in the Centre-South. The Northern League members have their eyes on Vito Bardi’s Basilicata which however Forza Italia defends with gritted teeth, “I don’t see why we should give it up” Tajani said yesterday. Meloni hesitates: polls in hand, he believes that the Forza Italia supporters already have enough Regions and it’s time for a rebalancing, but he fears backlash among the majority. The other Northern League request instead looks to Umbria. Salvini’s real Vietnam in this heart-pounding negotiation. Perugia like Hanoi. The deputy prime minister and secretary holds firm: Donatella Tesei must be re-nominated, “in principle it is always better to support the outgoing candidate”, he returned to beat Salvini yesterday.
THE UMBRIAN TRENCH
There is an emotional aspect behind the Umbrian trench of the Carroccio. For the leader, the “red stronghold” wrested from the left in 2019, when the League was sailing at 30 percent, is one of the most precious trophies on the board. We will see. From FdI, however, they make it clear that Umbria is also on the table. After all, the feeling between Meloni and Tesei, they say, never really arose. So the “Brothers” already have a list of possible candidates. Among them the president of the Legislative Assembly in FdI quota Marco Squarta as well as the budget councilor Paola Agabiti, civic, ready to join Meloni’s party. The Umbrian knot will also have to be resolved in the next few days, with a framework that takes into account all the upcoming local challenges.
And the Europeans? Salvini yesterday reiterated his no to his candidacy. Instead, relaunching General Roberto Vannacci’s race, “he is the ideal candidate”. The former Parà thinks about it and in the meantime promotes his new book, “The courage wins” (Piemme), out on March 12th.
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