Lega rally canceled: Salvini defuses revolt

The Lega party has abruptly canceled its planned rally in Mogliano Veneto, which was scheduled for July 4-5. The hotel where dozens of rooms had been booked has been notified of the cancellations. While officially stated as a preference by leader Matteo Salvini to hold at least three more meetings of the party's regional coordination committee first, many within the party suspect a different motive.

This move is seen by some as an attempt to quell internal dissent and delay discussions on party reforms, a topic that a significant portion of the party, especially in the Veneto region, is demanding. There were already signs of potential tension, with some southern parliamentarians expressing skepticism about attending and official invitations not yet issued. Furthermore, posters advocating for Luca Zaia to lead the party had appeared throughout Veneto, suggesting a brewing challenge to Salvini's leadership.

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If he wanted to lead the party, he could have run in the congress.

Stefano Locatelli, the Lega's head of local authorities, communicated the cancellation. He announced that a new meeting of the regional territories table would occur mid-next week, followed by two more scheduled sessions. These meetings will include external guests to discuss topics like autonomy, security, healthcare, housing, special economic zones, and the environment. Salvini appears to favor continuing these discussions remotely for now, with a live, in-person event possibly occurring months later, perhaps after the Pontida rally on September 20.

Locatelli added that in the coming weeks, participants will develop operational proposals based on regional needs. Once these proposals are formulated, a two-day programmatic meeting with the federal secretary and parliamentarians will be convened to set priorities for the 2027 elections. Regional commissioner Andrea Tomaello assured that there is no tension between the leadership and the base, stating the meeting will be more productive when programmatic elements are ready. However, the northern faction views the coordination committee as a way to neutralize the desire for change, effectively creating a dead end for reform efforts.

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What am I going to do, go get insulted?