Salvini Papeetino. He resigns ahead of the Congress, handing power to Di Rubba, as governors desert him and Romeo does not stand for election

He is resigning, but only to take the helm once more of a residual Lega, the ‘Noi con Salvini’ faction of extremists. He has done it all – and undone it all – single-handedly, in true Papeetino style: first he announced the Lega congress, then he resigned as secretary, after that he forced his deputies to resign, and finally he called Calderoli to hand over the reins of the party to the treasurer, Alberto Di Rubba. Salvini promises that he will remove his name from the party emblem; as if the voters hadn’t already thought of that. From today, and until 25 October – until the re-election of the ‘Salvini Duma’ – the League is a party led by Di Rubba, an MP elected seven months ago, who is far more reliable than ‘Papeetino’ Salvini, the mini, mini leader. 

The best thing that could happen to the Lega, believe us, is for Mr Di Rubba – a man who has experienced the full force of the judicial system first-hand – to remain acting secretary until the next general election. It is, so far, one of Salvini’s best moves, alongside this farcical party conference which he is even trying to make look genuine. He deserves credit. We previously noted that the process was a sham and that a large number of signatures were required to stand as a candidate. Salvini has since lowered that threshold and stipulated that only 120 signatures are now needed to challenge him. It remains noteworthy, however, that those 120 signatures must be collected from delegates who have already voted for Salvini at the last congress.

If anyone in the League genuinely wished to challenge him, they could well take up the gauntlet. Had reports described the congress as a sham because it is always Salvini who calls the shots? Well, do you know what he’s done? He’s convened the Federal Council, attended by no more than ten League members – even Max Romeo, the partisan Romy, was absent (nobody saw him, nor was he even connected) – and has formally resigned along with his deputies (one of whom, Alberto Stefani, it wasn’t clear whether he was a deputy or not). Calde – Calderoli – took the floor and explained that Lorenzo Fontana (chairman), together with Silvia Sardone and Pasquale Pepe, would preside over the proceedings of the Congress.

The best, as they say, is yet to come. Salvini arrives half an hour late and speaks alone for another half an hour about Alberto Bagnai’s seat, which has been left vacant (he has found a place in the sun at the Competition Authority). It is a sensational Salvini. He gives a glimpse of what is to come. He announces that, following his election as secretary, he will form a political secretariat and, notably, the first person who dares to point out that he has a white beard will be sent off to trim the hedges at the home of Francesca Verdini, Evita Verdòn. What has become of all the brave souls in the League?

Romeo, as mentioned, is not standing for election; the ‘hidalgo’ Attilio Fontana, if he could, would not even attend the Congress, such is the level of annoyance by now. Luca Zaia might appear and speak, but naturally he will not take the helm of the over-the-top ‘Noi con Salvini’ faction. The only strategy for trying to change the Lega, at the moment, is defection. It is worth noting that Salvini, in a display of apparent magnanimity, might even permit a secret ballot—provided someone were to request it. How, then, can anyone still assert that a significant faction of the Lega does not want Salvini, when these potential challengers lack the courage to attend the congress and gather the necessary 120 signatures, let alone secure a vote? In England, ‘Count Binface’ – a man dressed as a rubbish bin – stood against Farage. If there were still a bit of a sense of fun left, a Lega member, even if only for the sake of it, should rush out and dress in his underpants like Salvini at the Papeete. All that remains is to pin our hopes on a ‘Count Papeetino’, the Topo Gigio dressed in green.