Deputy Premier and Transport Minister
Matteo Salvini on Monday expressed bitterness on Monday that
Umberto Bossi, the founder and former leader of his League
party, had said he would not be voting for it in last weekend's
EU elections.
Salvini also said that the League's showing in the vote had been
much better than expected.
The League got 8.5%, according to projections, slightly under
the 8.8% it won in the 2022 general election, and was overtaken
with its centre-right coalition partners, Forza Italia (FI).
"For the past year everyone had been giving us up for dead, but
we are alive and kicking," Salvini said at the party
headquarters in Milan.
"We are alive, although certainly with some oddities, with the
former party secretary saying the day before the vote that he
would votes for another party.
"'I thank those who have never betrayed (us), I do not like
those who run away and change colours, according to convenience.
"The League was founded 40 years ago and will still be here in
40 years time.
"I don't want to hurt anyone and I even named my book after
Bossi, but I definitely will have to listen to what the
militants say (about his statement).
"Our political movement is growing despite the fact that its
founder announced that he was voting for another party, a
curious thing.
'It's not an act of disrespect to the incumbent secretary, but
to an entire community".
Bossi had said he would vote for a former League member who was
running for FI in last weekend's elections.
Salvini added that the elections, which saw Premier Giorgia
Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party come first with almost
29% of the vote, had "strengthened" the government, stressing
the balance of power within it had not changed.
"What I hope can change is European politics," he added.
"I hope to see a (ruling) centre-right in Europe too.
"I'll be in Brussels on Wednesday to work on this".
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