Lombardy chief urges League to weigh leadership change as support slides
A top League official suggests the party consider replacing Matteo Salvini amid falling poll numbers and internal discontent.
A senior figure in Italy's co-ruling League party has publicly raised the possibility of replacing leader Matteo Salvini, as the party struggles with a sharp drop in voter support.
Attilio Fontana, president of the northern Lombardy region and a prominent League member, said in an interview published on Monday that the party must confront its current trajectory. "Nothing should be ruled out, the League doesn't fear renewal," Fontana told the daily Corriere della Sera, when asked whether Salvini should be replaced.
Recent opinion surveys put the League's support at roughly 6 percent, a steep fall from its peak of over 34 percent in 2019. Fontana acknowledged growing unease among the party's base, saying members across Lombardy and the wider north are reporting "unhappiness" among voters.
He stressed that any decision should serve not only the League but also the broader centre-right coalition it belongs to. "We need to find a way out of this decline and reach a solution that works not only for the League but for the whole centre-right coalition," he said.
While dissatisfaction with Salvini has been simmering within the party, Fontana is the first senior official to openly suggest a leadership contest. His comments signal a potential shift in internal dynamics as the party weighs its future direction.