There is still tension between the League and the Brothers of Italy over the third mandate for governors.
It is the minister Luca Ciriani, of FdI, who enters the ring.
The person in charge of relations with Parliament dismantles the urgency of the topic and looking at Veneto, the historic Northern League stronghold followed by the Melonians and voting in 2025, specifies: "Without sin of modesty, we want to play all the matches. For Zaia, who is he was an excellent governor, it would be the fourth mandate. Alternation could be possible", Ciriani tells SkyTg24 adding: "No one is eternal, not even Zaia".
The Venetian 'doge', who could run for yet another mandate, replies: "I feel a bit like San Sebastiano with the arrows coming."
Convinced that "eternity is not of this world" but also surprised that "the only debate in this country is the undersigned".
Matteo Salvini is silent, focused on the bridge over the Strait and the updating of the final project.
But also on the challenge for the European Championships in June.
And in question time in the Senate, teasing Matteo Renzi who questions him, he reassures: "This majority will arrive at the end of its mandate, in 2027, cohesive and compact, regardless of what some newspapers write".
In any case, the Venetian issue reignites the clash between allies.
Having apparently shelved the one on the farmers' protest and the Irpef exemption, the match in the majority moves to the Senate.
Here the weapon brandished is an amendment by the League which asks to increase the mandates of the regional presidents from 2 to three.
In the corridors of Palazzo Madama, at the moment, withdrawal is not contemplated.
On the contrary.
And despite the proposal having surprised and irritated the rest of the majority, also because it was presented in the decree which sanctioned the election day in June (merging municipal and European elections) under examination by the Constitutional Affairs commission.
Ciriani does not hide his reservations about the instrument: "I have no prejudices but it doesn't seem appropriate to decide on this issue using a decree".
The risk is that, once put to the vote, the amendment will be rejected by FdI and Forza Italia.
Giuseppe Conte foreshadows the scene: "The majority argues about everything, they only agree on new taxes and new cuts", denounces the leader of the M5s.
In any case, the round is postponed to Thursday: then the commission could vote on the amendment on the governors' mandates.
Precious days to find an agreement, also considering that on February 21 Salvini, Meloni and Antonio Tajani will be together in Cagliari to close the electoral campaign of Paolo Truzzu, a coalition candidate laboriously found in Sardinia.
So, a way out could be the one that the Melonians, and Ciriani himself, offer to the Northern League supporters:
"The question must be posed in another context, it can be discussed but not in a decree."
But the old guard of the Northern League, especially the Venetian one, does not give up and keeps the amendment as a picklock (perhaps only tactical) to be able to lock down the Veneto or at least put on record that they fought until the end to defend the historic fiefdom.
Even more so close to the race that each will make for the European Championships, with the League keeping an eye on the consensus which could be further eroded - it is the concern - by Meloni's possible candidacy in Brussels.
It is no coincidence that the hypothesis also arises in the party of via Bellerio - which however has not found official confirmation - of bringing forward the national congress to April, before the June vote, to protect the secretary's leadership from any post-election backlash.
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