Salvini focuses on Vannacci and Cisint. But the Zaia – dream still remains alive

Christian Campigli

April 21, 2024

Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed south of Nairobi, the Parisian cathedral of Notre Dame was irremediably destroyed by a violent fire and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus was on its way to winning its thirty-fifth championship. Five years on paper, a geological era in reality. Especially in the politics of a liquid society, of an uncertain vote and of leaders who are praised today and derided tomorrow. Between 23 and 26 May 2019 the League reached its prime, the best result in its long history, touching 35% in the European elections. It was the period of “Captain” Matteo Salvini, of the yellow-green government and of the significant decrease in immigrant departures. Then Papeete, the crisis with Giuseppe Conte and Nicola Zingaretti’s “trip”. Today, the leader of the League finds himself facing the most difficult match, the one that will design his relaunch or sanction his (definitive) decline. It is no mystery that, within the Northern League, the secretary no longer enjoys the absolute trust of the governors of the North. And he doesn’t need to be a student of Norberto Bobbio to understand how a percentage lower than 7% would likely lead to his defenestration from Via Bellerio.

Salvini, well aware of all these elements, is convinced that he can do well in this June session. Many names have rotated, in recent months, around the party founded by Umberto Bossi (another who never misses an opportunity to criticize the current Minister of Transport every time he finds himself near a turned on microphone). The team that will challenge FI for the role of second striker in the centre-right’s trident of wonders will be made up of expert and civic-minded politicians of great depth. Among the latter, it is impossible not to mention General Roberto Vannacci. His book, «The world upside down» was an incredible publishing success. A fame that might bring, in the secrecy of the polls, between three and five percentage points to the Northern League. He will probably be the head of the list in all four constituencies. After months of back and forth Gianluigi Paragone has made official his intention not to run for a seat in Brussels.

In the north, the Carroccio will focus on Paolo Borchia from Verona, on Rosanna Conte and on the mayor of Monfalcone, Anna Maria Cisint. But the dream remains to convince the governor Luca Zaia. Going down the country, there is great confidence in the possible re-election of the Pisan Susanna Ceccardi. In the central constituency Salvini wants to bet on Davide Bordoni, secretary of Lazio, the man capable of gathering votes also in the capital and on Laura Cartaginese. Trust also in Mario Abruzzese and Anna Cinzia Bonfrisco. In the south the ace in the hole is represented by Aldo Patriciello, a European parliamentarian elected five years ago on the FI list. Next to him, Frank Mario Santacroce, Orlandino Greco and Simona Loizzo. In the islands, the League is convinced that it can return to the glories of the past thanks to Michele Pais, Pierluigi Saiu and Nino Germanà, one of the most convinced supporters of the Strait Bridge.