Attilio Fontana’s ‘Party’: the move to push Zaia towards a change of direction

It is the finest tale of a party that never came to be (perhaps): the Italian Liberal Federalist Party (the PLFI) – the Lega after Salvini. The real story: Lega member Attilio Fontana, the ‘Hidalgo’ of Lombardy, means business; the Lombardy branch of the Lega means business. They are attempting to establish a party of regional governors – another Lega featuring Zaia, Fedriga and Fugatti. The amusing bit: a draft of the party constitution has been leaked by accident, and do you know where it ended up? In an old chat group featuring Salvini and his right-hand man, Andrea Paganella. Help! It’s like Pinocchio ending up in the belly of the whale, except that Fontana is Master Geppetto, the generous one who sacrifices himself.

It all stems from the Lega’s discontent. At its heart lie Lombardy, Milan, and that symbol (alongside Giorgetti) of the old guard: Attilio Fontana. Remember the attempt by Durigon, Zaia and Fedriga, the party constitution torn up by Salvini – the one that would have given Zaia and Fedriga more powers, appointing them as deputy secretaries? Salvini bin-bagged it, regretted having said yes, and up north they’re thinking: something must be done. People are starting to talk about this mad idea – a new, federalist party made up of local administrators. The grassroots are urging Fontana: step in. He’s the only one with nothing to lose. He’s got a happy life, he doesn’t need politics to make a living, and he was the first to declare: “The League? Like hell it’s going to become ‘civilised’.” The latest outrage to which he’s hit back in kind? The centre-right, FdI, asked him to ‘resign first’, so we can take Lombardy to the polls. Fontana holds his ground, Fontana… you get the picture… with… Lombard businesspeople, solicitors, notaries, and others, are pushing to set up an association – or perhaps even something more. A councillor is being courted – the other rising star of the council, alongside Guido Guidesi. His name is Massimo Sertori, regional councillor for local authorities, mountain areas and energy resources. He’s the League’s preferred candidate from Valtellina. Just as in ancient times, when people dream beneath the moon, these new, dreamy barbarians are laying the foundations for a new party and even for its constitution.

The name? Liberal Federalist Party. The draft has been published in Il Foglio. It consists of 22 articles and opens with this preamble: “Federalism is an institutional model capable of bringing citizens closer to the state and, therefore, of guaranteeing even the working classes greater participation in social life”. This is a quote from Salvemini. Below that are the values, which are as follows: democratic liberalism, competitive federalism, free competition, and promoting the creation of three large federal regions endowed with fiscal and legislative autonomy. It is a party that does not rail against Europe; on the contrary, it recognises the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 8 deals with the party’s governing bodies: the national assembly, the president and the national secretary. On closer inspection, this is a party that Marina Berlusconi would not dislike. What do the people of Lombardy think (they also expressed this view during the latest meeting of the Lombardy League, where Salvini was criticised for his decision to shift to the right and follow Vannacci)? Well, the people of Lombardy believe that a genuine, serious uprising could start in Lombardy. It’s a way of persuading Zaia to take the lead. The question is: what is Giorgetti doing? In Milan, they’re certain that if we go ahead and Giorgetti backs us, then … Someone should pass this dream on to Fontana, who couldn’t care less about the yes-men or those who applaud the secretary just for show. Fontana is the sort of individual who, when he learnt that Federica Valenti – the Agi journalist who, alongside Marco Cremonesi of the Corriere, has been covering the League for ages – had been transferred to the Foreign Affairs desk, kicked his chair. News of the PLFI is making the rounds in the Chamber of Deputies. Luca Toccalini, secretary of the Lega Youth Wing, says: “The name is unpronounceable.” Igor Iezzi, the Viscount of Quarto Oggiaro, who is seething with hatred towards anyone who challenges Salvini but remains silent (with the exception of Fontana) when he meets him, advises: “On 7 August, Salvini will be in Milan. There’s the Lombardy League meeting, and another one, and I’m curious to see who’ll challenge him head-on.” At the moment it’s just a party on paper, but it’s already a formidable story. Fate has had a hand in it, and Fontana, the hidalgo, has hit send. The League members smile: “PLFI? It sounds like an onomatopoeia.” Even Bossi started with a belch – the onomatopoeia of the north – and it ended with the League. The PLFI is starting with a smile. If Salvini were clever, he’d say: ‘Fontana, president of the PLFI, and the League federated with Fontana’ – Attilio. He’s the ‘hidalgo’ who doesn’t know how to use social media, but the only knight with a dashing figure.