Centre right can be rebuilt says Salvini

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 1 - The Italian centre right can be rebuilt after rifts opened up during a long and chaotic stalemate roiled the constituent members ahead of the re-election of President Sergio Mattarella, rightwing League leader Matteo Salvini said Tuesday.
    Salvini has long been the leader of the alliance comprising hard right Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni and centre-right former premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) but Meloni has been challenging him and said after the split over Mattarella that the alliance had to be "refounded".
    Salvini, who swung his support behind Mattarella after unsuccessfully floating many candidatess, tld the Lrague's federal council Tuesday that "the League is united and the centre right can be rebuilt, there's no problem".
    The FdI is the only party in opposition to Premier mario Draghi's broad national unity government and she has benefitted in the opinion polls, with FdI overtaking the League.
    Salvini has said he would like to see a federation along the lines of the US Republican party.
    Salvini told the League council that he claimed credit for Mattarella's re-election and added that he would ask Draghi to ease COVID restrictions.
    photo: Salvini and Meloni with Berlusconi's no 2, ex EP chief Antonio Tajani (ANSA).