South Tyrol electoral map change divides SVP party

A proposal to redraw electoral boundaries in the Bassa Atesina region of South Tyrol has created significant internal division within the South Tyrolean People's Party (SVP). The plan, put forward by Brothers of Italy deputy Alessandro Urzì, aims to prevent the separation of municipalities within the Bassa Atesina senatorial district.

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We will do everything we can to prevent the approval of the modification.

Despite efforts by provincial SVP leaders to clarify the party's position with local mayors and district representatives, the fate of voters remains uncertain. SVP Senator Julia Unterberger described the atmosphere during a recent meeting as tense but acknowledged mutual understanding. Norbert Mayr, the Obmann of Bassa Atesina, also expressed satisfaction with the discussion, stating that their concerns about dividing the municipalities were heard and that representatives in Rome would work to prevent the modification's approval.

Unterberger explained the core of the conflict: the proposed Bolzano-Bassa Atesina senatorial district would likely be allocated to an Italian-speaking representative. She argued that the three senatorial districts should reflect the region's linguistic demographics. Given that the Italian-speaking group is concentrated in this area, it would be illogical for the German-speaking group to hold all three seats while the Italian group has none. She suggested that while the German-speaking electorate's strong performance in the last election may have alarmed some Italians, proposing to divide the Bassa Atesina municipalities is the wrong solution.

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Accusing us parliamentarians of Urzì having developed a proposal that the majority in Rome has voted for in the Chamber is useless. The fundamental problem, however, is that the Bolzano-Bassa Atesina district would be reserved for a person from the Italian linguistic group, because the three senatorial districts should reflect the representation of the population and the Italian group is concentrated there.

Urzì, however, defended his proposal, noting that Senator Luigi Spagnolli won the current district by a narrow margin. He argued that a stronger SVP candidate could have secured all five first-past-the-post seats for the German-speaking group, leaving none for the Italian-speaking group. Urzì believes his proposal aims to make at least the Bolzano district viable for an Italian candidate, while ensuring the German-speaking group retains a clear advantage in the other four single-member constituencies.

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Let's remember that in this constituency, Senator Luigi Spagnolli was elected by a very small margin, and behind him was a somewhat faded candidate from the SVP. If the candidate had been minimally more known, we would have had five out of five constituencies assigned by default to the German group.

The electoral reform is set to reach the Senate next week after passing the Chamber of Deputies. The debate highlights the complex linguistic and political dynamics within South Tyrol, where the balance of representation between the German-speaking and Italian-speaking communities is a constant point of contention.

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From this – Urzì continues – the need to make at least the Bolzano district creditable by an Italian, with sufficient certainty that exists instead in the other four single-member constituencies for the German group.