Ex-Lega Members Challenge Salvini for Control of Lega Nord
- A newly formed committee of former parliamentarians and provincial secretaries in Italy has launched a bid to reclaim control of the legacy Lega Nord party, opening a fresh...
- Promoters of the initiative, including former lawmaker Gianluca Pini based in Forlì, began collecting signatures across northern regions to challenge the current party structure.
- “Our committee was born to obtain the convocation of the federal congress of the Lega Nord, to unlock the symbol and thaw the old party,” Pini said.
A newly formed committee of former parliamentarians and provincial secretaries in Italy has launched a bid to reclaim control of the legacy Lega Nord party, opening a fresh political front against Matteo Salvini. The newly established Comitato per la convocazione del congresso federale aims to unseat current commissioner Igor Iezzi and force a federal congress to unfreeze the historical party and its electoral symbol.
Collecting Signatures Across Northern Strongholds
Promoters of the initiative, including former lawmaker Gianluca Pini based in Forlì, began collecting signatures across northern regions to challenge the current party structure. According to reporting by Il Sole 24 Ore, the committee’s primary objective is to unlock the historical Alberto da Giussano electoral symbol, which remains tied to the older entity. The legacy structure has operated essentially as a bad company since the December 2017 registration of the newer Lega per Salvini Premier, burdened by the legal obligation to repay 49 million euros in irregular electoral reimbursements to the state.
“Our committee was born to obtain the convocation of the federal congress of the Lega Nord, to unlock the symbol and thaw the old party,” Pini said. He added that the group has already gathered roughly a hundred signatures from grassroots militants across the north and warned that legal action will follow if leadership refuses to call a congress.
Salvini Loyalist Pushback and Resistance
Leadership and figures close to Matteo Salvini have strongly rejected the initiative, characterizing the move as an opportunistic attempt to seize power. Party sources expressed surprise at the move, questioning why figures who previously threatened the survival of the political movement are now seeking positions.
“Those who risked killing the League are now resurfacing in search of an armchair,” party sources stated. The party emphasized that the current leadership continues to manage substantial administrative responsibility through thousands of local officials, governors, and mayors across Italy, while preparing for upcoming economic policy debates and political rallies in Rome and Pontida.
Regional Heavyweights Distance Themselves
Lombardy President Attilio Fontana distanced regional governance from the newly formed committee when questioned by reporters on the sidelines of the Monza Grand Prix presentation. Fontana confirmed he was aware of the initiative but stated it has no connection to the ongoing political work being conducted alongside Salvini.
While the initiative highlights underlying tensions between northern-focused traditionalists and Salvini’s national apparatus, major regional heavyweights have not officially aligned with the dissenting committee. Several northern governors have previously pushed for a more collegial internal structure and a specialized cultural association within the broader movement, the current committee of former officials remains distinct from sitting regional administrations.