Salvini resigns as League secretary to run again at Milan congress

Salvini steps back on paper

On Monday, 12 October, the League's Federal Council met at the party's headquarters in via Bellerio, Milan, and approved the regulations for an extraordinary congress. League secretary Matteo Salvini and the three deputy secretaries, Claudio Durigon, Silvia Sardone and Alberto Stefani, handed in their resignations. The party said the move had been 'already agreed and planned for some time' and was needed ahead of the congress. The step is formal: it allows the congress to be an elective one in which Salvini can present his candidacy again. The council followed about an hour of discussion, and Salvini said he was 'very happy' with the meeting.

Who runs the League until October

Alberto Di Rubba, the party treasurer, was named deputy secretary with a deputy-vicar role and will administer the League until the congress. ANSA describes him as commissioner with the function of regent. Lorenzo Fontana, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and a League MP, will preside over the congress, which Salvini had announced at the Pontida rally. The congress is set for the Allianz MiCo venue in Milan. Salvini is so far the only candidate to return as secretary, and he also serves as deputy premier and transport minister.

Logo, secretariat and the electoral law

Salvini told reporters he had chosen to give the League a political secretariat to share the work, and that the symbol would be updated. ANSA reports that the new logo will drop the reference to 'Salvini Premier', a change made to comply with the new electoral law, which requires a single candidate to be designated for the whole coalition. The Network for a Free and Equal Vote has finalized six points for its Constitutional Court challenges to that law. Those points cover the majority bonus, the allocation of the Senate bonus on a national basis, seat allocation methods, gender alternation, signature requirements for candidate lists, and the designation of the prime ministerial candidate. Under the new congress rules, motions and policy documents are voted openly, while the secretary vote is secret in the ballot box if several candidates stand.

The northern wing and the congress

Asked whether the 'nordisti' would table a motion, Salvini rejected the idea of a rift inside the party.

There are no dissidents.

He said the 'nordisti' label was a category of the spirit, and he noted that he has been one since joining the Lega Lombarda.

I am a northerner, I took the Lega Lombarda membership card in 1990.

Salvini said he expects ideas and proposals from the congress, and that anyone who chooses not to attend is making their own choice. He said people are travelling from across Italy, some 800 kilometres, to attend and speak.

Reaction to Pontida and the congress ahead

Salvini said the press had spent two months predicting that the Pontida rally would be a disaster, a flop or a clash, and he described the day as a success.

It was a very beautiful day.

He said he expects the congress to bring many ideas and contributions, and that he expects documents from everyone. The congress runs on 24 and 25 October in Milan, with Lorenzo Fontana presiding and Alberto Di Rubba administering the party until then.