The 2017 Lega Nord leadership election took place on 14 May 2017.Le primarie e il congresso della Lega
Background and race Under the leadership of Matteo Salvini, who was elected in the 2013 leadership election, the party embraced a very critical view of the European Union, especially of the Euro, which he described a "crime against mankind". Ahead of 2014 European Parliament election, Salvini started to cooperate with Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Front, and Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Party for Freedom. All this was criticised by LN founder Umberto Bossi, who re-called his left-wing roots, and Mayor of Verona Flavio Tosi, who represented the party's centrist wing and defended the Euro. In March 2015, after a long struggle with Luca Zaia and Salvini, Tosi was ejected from the party. In May 2015 Zaia was re-elected President of Veneto for a second term in the regional election with a landslide.
In the run-up of the 2017 leadership election Salvini was focused on becoming the leader of the centre-rightSalvini: "Io candidato premier? Se chiedono ci sono. Col no si va a votare"Matteo Salvini a Firenze: "Pronto a candidarmi come premier" and, possibly, changing the LN's name by ditching "North".Lega, un congresso per togliere la parola NordSalvini vuole togliere il "Nord" al nome della Lega Paolo Grimoldi, the regional secretary of Lega Nord for Lombardy, chose not to run (and Roberto Maroni, the President of Lombardy Region, maintained his neutrality),Lega, Salvini convoca il congresso e cerca il plebiscitoLa Lega, il congresso-lampo e la fronda anti Salvini nel nome della Padania but Gianni Fava, Lombard minister of Agriculture in the old social-democratic tradition, announced his bid aiming at representing the federalist/autonomist/separatist wings of the party. Gianluca Pini, President of Lega Nord Romagna, supported Fava:Congresso Lega Nord, Pini contro Salvini: «Vedo tanti militanti scarichi» note that Fava's best results in this LN primary (over 40% but under 45%) are only in Romagna.
Gianni Fava, who is anti-prohibition of drugs, pro-civil unions for same-sex couples, pro-Atlanticism, and anti-National Front ("[it] is one of the most centralist and conservative blocs in Europe, what has it to do with us?"), recalled an old LN activist saying "let's hurry up in making Padania, that I want to return voting the left" and added "this was the League and it has to be like this anew".Fava: “Sfido Salvini perché la Lega non perda le sue radici. Voglio un congresso vero”Lega, spunta l'anti-Salvini. Gianni Fava (giunta Maroni) sfida il segretario al congressoLega, un mantovano lancia la sfida a SalviniCamera dei Deputati – Giovanni FavaFava, ho firme, partecipo a primarie Lega Salvini accused Fava to be "too friend of Berlusconi" and specially of "wanting to submit the LN to Forza Italia".
This is a closed primary where all ordinary and militant members with at least 12 months of membership are reserved for 31 December 2016Lega Nord, primarie il 14 maggio. Congresso il 21 and they also have the right to sign in support of secretarial nominations, which they need a minimum of 1000 signatures to be able to apply. Each candidate must be registered for at least 10 years as ordinary and militant members of LN: the only candidates for the post of Federal Secretary are those of Matteo Salvini and Gianni Fava, both of which exceed the minimum of 1000 signatures (precisely 6925 for Salvini and 1025 for Fava). Umberto Bossi, the founder of LN, support Gianni Fava and his plan of approach to Forza Italia and Silvio Berlusconi from which the LN has gradually gone away (in favor of Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy) during Salvini's leadership since the previous primary election of December 2013. On 14 May Salvini was re-elected secretary by a landslide. His re-election was ratified by the party's federal congress on 21 May in Parma.Lega, Salvini avverte Berlusconi: "Maggioritario se vuoi davvero vincere"
Candidates
Portrait NameMost recent position Refs Matteo Salvini Primarie Lega il 14 maggio, Salvini: "Bellissimo giorno di ascolto"Primarie Lega il 14/5, esulta Salvini Gianni Fava Lega, spunta l'anti-Salvini. Gianni Fava (giunta Maroni) sfida il segretario al congressoGianni Fava sfida Salvini per la guida della Lega, venerdì sarà a Grumello
Primary election Candidate Votes % Matteo Salvini 6,636 82.70% Gianni Fava 1,388 17.30% Total 8,024 100.0
Results by regions Region Salvini Fava Aosta Valley 100.0 0.0 Emilia-Romagna 68.0 33.0 Friuli-Venezia Giulia 87.0 13.0 Liguria 95.0 5.0 Lombardy 78.0 22.0 Marche 83.0 17.0 Piedmont 87.0 13.0 Tuscany 83.0 17.0 Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol 75.0 25.0 Umbria 95.0 5.0 Veneto 91.0 9.0
References