Lega's Salvini faces calls for resignation from within party ranks

Internal strife continues to plague Italy's Lega party, with local secretary Michele Maggi publicly demanding leader Matteo Salvini's resignation. Maggi stated that a recent regional leadership meeting saw 24 out of 30 members call for Salvini to step down, reflecting a broader base-level skepticism towards his leadership.

“

I can only echo all the resignation requests that national leaders have addressed to Matteo Salvini. It's time to say enough.

Maggi also criticized party vice-secretary Silvia Sardone for focusing on minor issues like social media logos while the party faces declining support. He defended the local Brescia section's symbol changes, stating they aligned with the national party's branding. Maggi also pointed to protests against youth secretary Luca Toccalini, suggesting a wider discontent with the party's current direction.

“

Unfortunately, among the simple militants, the situation is no better.

The controversy extends to policy disagreements, with Maggi highlighting Sardone's perceived opposition to differentiated autonomy, a key historical Lega policy. This internal conflict suggests a significant challenge for Salvini as he attempts to rebuild the party's consensus amidst competition from figures like Roberto Vannacci and potential shifts in party allegiance.

“

In such a difficult context, there are those who found the time to talk about me. Moreover, I want to recall that we only conformed to a symbol used by the National.