The negotiations on the regional elections in the center-right have a turning point in Sardinia and could land in Basilicata. Because the negotiation on the candidate for governor on the island has as its possible outcome a general rebalancing, which also involves other regions voting in the coming months. The mayor of Cagliari Paolo Truzzu, chosen by FdI, continues with his electoral campaign for the presidency of Sardinia and insists on inviting the League to support him, despite the fact that so far Matteo Salvini has officially pushed for the confirmation of the outgoing president, Christian Solinas. In short, FdI is waiting for Salvini's moves, who in the next few hours could send a signal: for tomorrow afternoon, in Milan, he has convened the party's federal council "to take stock of the political situation."
One of the elements at stake in the confrontation between the allies could be the choice of the candidate in Basilicata. Forza Italia is betting on the incumbent, the Italian Vito Bardi. But Lega and FdI could demand a different name. Maybe a civic representative, or an area representative. Beginning to feel the earth tremble, the deputy prime minister and secretary of Forza Italia Antonio Tajani today in fact armors "his" governor: "I am convinced that agreements will be found on the candidacies in all the regions where voting is taking place - he says - It is obvious that Vito Bardi, our candidate in Basilicata, is not in question. Vito Bardi is the candidate for the presidency of the Basilicata Region. Because he did well. There are concrete answers: in Basilicata you don't pay for gas, you don't pay for water, and I think these are things that the citizens of Lucania have been pleased with. So, Bardi can't be touched."
Words that have not slipped away: "In FdI there is no intention to sink Forza Italia," comments a member of Meloni's party with notebooks closed.
However, the imbalance between the regions to vote in the coming months remains on the table: the strongest party in the coalition, FdI, has two candidates: Truzzu in Sardinia and Marco Marsilio in Abruzzo. The League, the second party, currently has one, with the confirmation of Donatella Tesei in Umbria. Forza Italia, on the other hand, would have two: in addition to Bardi, the outgoing Alberto Cirio in Piedmont.
In any case, first of all, we need to untie the knot in Sardinia. Among the allies, the feeling is that it is up to Salvini to decide, because Solinas - they say - would be willing to take a step back, as everyone expected in recent days, paving the way for the League's support for Truzzu. There are those who claim that the governor had taken into account the hypothesis of stepping aside already in the meeting of the center-right from which the name of Truzzu came out by a majority, but with the "no" of the League and the Sardinian Action Party.
Summits between party leaders are not yet scheduled, although, inevitably, in the roles of prime minister and deputy prime minister, Meloni, Tajani and Salvini will have to see each other on Tuesday, all seated at the same table for the council of ministers at Palazzo Chigi. On the other hand, time is running out. The elections in Sardinia are set for 25 February, the deadline for the presentation of symbols expires and by noon on 25 January the lists with the candidacies for the office of president of the Region, together with the political program, must be officially presented. At the moment, in addition to Truzzu and the Solinas hypothesis, Alessandra Zedda, former vice-president of the Solinas junta, is running as an independent for the center-right with Fi. Truzzu also appealed to her - as well as to the Lega and the Sardinian Action Party: "Your place is with us".
The issues of the third term for governors - which the League strongly wants, but which FdI and Forza Italia oppose - and the details of the reform of the Autonomies remain on the negotiating table. But it will be difficult to overlap issues that go so far in time to the choice of the governor of a region that goes to the polls in a month's time. While Solinas' future could have as its outcome a candidacy for the European elections.
Although the League has yet to define more than one issue, such as the one concerning a possible investment in General Roberto Vannacci.
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