Northern League senator challenges Salvini's leadership, advocating for regional focus

Massimiliano Romeo, the Northern League's group leader in the Senate and secretary of the Lega Lombarda, is spearheading a challenge to Matteo Salvini's leadership. Romeo, a senator from Monza, argues that the party must re-emphasize its regional roots and focus on issues pertinent to Northern Italy to remain electorally relevant.

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If we don't talk about the North, we won't get votes anymore.

Romeo, who joined the Lega in 1992, has a long history within the party, having organized the first youth league gatherings and even inventing the green headbands that have become a symbol of Northern identity at party events. He believes that neglecting the "North" will lead to a decline in votes, a sentiment he has shared with Salvini, urging him to "bring solutions, not problems."

His stance has garnered support from Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana, positioning Romeo as a flagbearer for a "Northern" insurrection within the party. This movement seeks a shift in leadership and strategy, advocating for a shared leadership model that includes regional governors. While some within the party dismiss this "northernism" as nostalgia for a bygone era of Padania, Romeo insists it is not an operation of nostalgia but a pragmatic approach to electoral politics in 2026.

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Matteo, I have always been loyal to you. But if we no longer talk about the North, we will no longer get votes in the North.

Romeo's challenge is not new; he previously ran for the leadership of the Lega Lombarda, winning against Salvini's preferred candidate, Luca Toccalini, in December 2024. His victory was marked by a speech emphasizing his loyalty to Salvini but also his conviction that the party's electoral success is tied to its regional identity. He currently holds significant positions, serving as both the head of the Lega Lombarda and the leader of the Lega senators, a unique situation within the party structure.

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Bring solutions, not problems.