Fontana defends the unity of the League: "More respect for Salvini"

These are turbulent times for Lega secretary Matteo Salvini, amid rumours of the formation of a new party of northern regional governors and suspicions that the Deputy Prime Minister is seeking to build a small circle of loyalists. Amid this upheaval, however, a section of the Carroccio is still calling for unity: “We need more respect for Matteo Salvini,” declared Chamber of Deputies President Lorenzo Fontana in an interview with Il Giornale. “The challenges and threats are far too great for us to afford to be divided.”

For Fontana, the recent accusations levelled at Salvini by the President of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, are “words of ingratitude”, and the League leader should be judged on the basis of his overall work: “Leading a party for so many years requires an enormous effort, and Salvini continues to give his all, even sacrificing a significant part of his private life”. Lorenzo Fontana also points out that “When Matteo Salvini took the party in hand, the League was considered by many to be all but dead”, and that “Under Bossi and Maroni, we went through periods when the polls and election results were even lower than they are now”.

The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies is in favour of internal debate, but for him, party unity remains the priority: “This is a time when we need to rediscover a spirit of cohesion and show respect for the work that has been done. If you truly care about the movement, it is right to discuss and reflect on the future. But we must do so whilst avoiding public confrontations and confusion. Debate is useful when it builds, not when it divides.” Fontana also adds that “There is also a human aspect to this. In the League, brotherhood and mutual respect have always been fundamental values. Our voters have little interest in personal squabbles: they are interested in ideas, local communities and the ability to provide solutions.”

Another member of the League, Senate Vice-President Gian Marco Centinaio, expressed a similar view. Interviewed by Milano Quotidiano, Centinaio stated that “The debate in the newspapers serves no purpose”, adding that “I still believe that dirty laundry should be washed at home, and so I think that internal debate can only be constructive if it does not descend into fruitless controversy”. Centinaio then explicitly attacked his party colleagues who are distancing themselves from Salvini: “The League is not just the secretary: the League is also a party with a leadership that must take responsibility for its actions”, accusing those very activists of having facilitated Vannacci’s rise through the party ranks. “Pointing the finger at the secretary without first engaging in some soul-searching does the League no favours,” the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies concluded.