The executive accelerates differentiated autonomy reform. But the governor of the Calabria region Roberto Occhiuto, of Forza Italia, urged caution.
Today Regional Affairs Minister Roberto Calderoli will be in Lombardy and Veneto, tomorrow in Liguria and Piedmont. He will meet governors Attilio Fontana, Luca Zaia, Alberto Cirio and Marco Bucci. Two-day agreement in the North, an initiative that has the authorization and support of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The pre-agreement commits the government and the Region to completing the negotiations that have begun, with the aim of reaching an agreement on matters such as civil protection, professions, additional pensions and coordination of public finances in the health sector.
In short, differentiated autonomy reform is at the heart of the Meloni government’s project for Italy, along with the premiership and judicial reform. The signing of the pre-agreement is a continuation of the Regional initiative to reactivate the differentiated autonomy route which began in 2017, within the framework of Law 86/2024 and in accordance with the Constitutional Court decision 192/2024. The left was restless and with gubernatorial candidate in Campania Roberto Fico, former president of the DPR, fearing a “Lega explosion”, with the aim of “attacking the South”. Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte immediately said: “With the Calderoli project, Italy will be divided and the South will be left behind.” Election campaign narrative.
But what is more relevant is the position of the blue governor of Calabria. For Roberto Occhiuto, “some concerns” remain, especially “about health care.” “For this reason – the president of the Calabria Region emphasized – I ask Minister Roberto Calderoli to convene a discussion table in the next few days between the regions that have requested the signing of the agreement on non-LEP matters and between those who have expressed concerns”. The minister’s response was not long in coming, and Northern League representatives immediately gave approval to the entire Region. “For me – said the minister and the League representative – I am completely confident in what I am doing, that I do not want to favor or disadvantage one part of the country over another, but I am trying to make the whole country more responsible”. Calderoli proposed “face-to-face meetings” with Occhiuto starting next week. But there is an absolute will to expand it to all regional players in the field. “Let’s put aside all ideologies – commented the Regional Minister – and let’s all work together in the interests of the country, North and South, to solve the problems of the south and the north through autonomy”.
Autonomy does not scare Luigi Lobuono, the center-right gubernatorial candidate in Puglia: “It could be a positive thing for the south becoming virtuous,” he warned. The debate is open. But the government’s aims were clear from the moment it took office at Palazzo Chigi.
