The recent decision by the Italian parliament to approve a bill for differentiated autonomy has brought a sense of fulfillment to many Lombardy and Veneto politicians. The bill, known as the Calderoli bill, is seen as a significant achievement for the Northern League party, which has been fighting for greater autonomy in these regions for decades.
The passing of this bill was celebrated by several parliamentarians who called it a dream come true. It was also welcomed by the governors of Lombardy and Veneto, Attilio Fontana and Luca Zaia, respectively. Fontana has already expressed his intention to negotiate with the state for the transfer of responsibility for eight subjects, two of which are important – health and the environment.
The approval of this bill comes after years of struggle for devolution and fiscal federalism in Italy. Two referendums were held in 2014 in Veneto and Lombardy to determine whether these regions should have greater autonomy. While both referendums passed, there was opposition from some groups who saw it as a threat to national unity.
Despite this opposition, the Italian government signed pre-agreements with governors Stefano Bonaccini (Democratic governor of Emilia-Romagna), Attilio Fontana (Lombardy), Luca Zaia (Veneto) and Vincenzo De Luca (Campania) in February 2018. However, the reform disappeared from the radar during the M5s-Lega government but was revived during Draghi’s executive with Maria Stella Gelmini entrusted with the project.
However, not all politicians are happy about this development. Roberto Occhiuto from Calabria made it clear that exponents of FI in his region did not vote for the reform while Vito Bardi from Lucania expressed perplexity about its approval due to concerns about national unity. In response to these criticisms, Fabrizio Cecchetti from Forza Italia reminded them that consistency is key when it comes to autonomy issues: “Forza Italia must be coherent and stop making differentiated propaganda effectively making fun of citizens.” He added that there is still work to be done before Italy can achieve true federalism without damaging its credibility on such an important issue.
Overall, while some politicians may still have reservations about differentiated autonomy and its impact on national unity, others see it as an important step towards achieving greater decentralization and better governance in Italy’s diverse regions.
