Lega Toscana (English: Tuscany League), whose complete name is Lega Toscana per Salvini Premier (English: Tuscany League for Salvini Premier), is a regionalist political party active in Tuscany. Established in 1987, it was one of the founding "national" sections of Lega Nord (LN) in 1991 and has been the regional section of Lega per Salvini Premier (LSP) in Tuscany since 2020.[1]
Lega Toscana | |
---|---|
Secretary | Luca Baroncini |
President | vacant |
Founded | 1987 (as MpT) 1988 (as AT) 1991 (as LNT) 2020 (as LT) |
Ideology | Regionalism Federalism Populism |
National affiliation | Lega Nord (1991–2020) Lega per Salvini Premier (2020–present) |
Regional Council of Tuscany | 9 / 41 |
Chamber of Deputies (Tuscany seats) | 6 / 38 |
Senate (Tuscany seats) | 3 / 18 |
Website | |
https://www.legatoscana.it | |
The party is currently led by Luca Baroncini.
History
editThe party was founded in 1987 as the Movement for Tuscany (Movimento per la Toscana, MpT) and its first leader was Mario Forconi. In 1988, under the leadership of Tommaso Fragassi, the party changed name to Tuscan Alliance (Alleanza Toscana, AT).[2][3]
AT participated to the 1989 European Parliament election within the coalition Lega Lombarda – Alleanza Nord. In 1989–1990 it took part in the process of federating the northern regionalist parties, ahead of the 1990 regional elections. In February 1991 the AT was merged into Lega Nord (LN), taking the current name, and since then it has been the regional section of that party in Tuscany.[2][3]
In the 1992 and 1994 general election Riccardo Fragassi was elected to the Chamber of Deputies (in 1992 along with Gianmarco Mancini),[4] while his father Tommaso resigned from secretary because he rejected the alliance between the LN and the centre-right Pole of Freedoms. In 1995, when the alliance was dissolved, Riccardo Fragassi left the party in opposition to that break-up and formed the Tuscan Federalist Alliance (AFT) instead.[5] He would return into the fold ten years later.[6] The leader of the AFT were Riccardo Fragassi (secretary) and Renzo Del Carrìa (president), a former president of the LNT (1992–1994). Riccardo Fragassi eventually re-joined the LNT and spoke at the Lega Nord's federal congress June–July 2012.[7]
The party's new secretary, Simone Gnaga, was elected to the Chamber in the 1996 general election. A right-winger, he would too leave in 1998 in order to join National Alliance.[3][8] Between 1998 and 2006 the party was led by Vincenzo Soldati, a member of the party's libertarian wing.[9] The party was then led by commissioner Luca Rodolfo Paolini, national secretary of Lega Nord Marche, from 2006 to 2008, when Claudio Morganti was elected national secretary. In the 2008 general election the party elected a deputy, Paolini himself, after almost ten years of no representation in the Italian Parliament. In the 2009 European Parliament election Morganti was elected MEP.[10] In the 2010 regional election the party won 6.5% of the vote, its best result so far, and entered the Regional Council for the first time, with four councillors.[11]
Despite these electoral results, Morganti's leadership was openly contested by many party members. In April 2011 Dario Locci, a regional councillor, left in protest.[12][13] In September 2011 Morganti resigned from secretary and was replaced by commissioner Giovanni Fava.[14][15] The move was not enough for Locci, who made no return, and another group of disgruntled members, including regional councillor Marina Staccioli, who left the party to form Tuscan Identity in December.[16][17][18] The splinter party was led by president Giovanni Iadicicco and three coordinators (Andrea Asciutti, Federico Meanti and Marina Staccioli); Staccioli would later defect to the Brothers of Italy).[19][20] In October 2012 the two remaining regional councillors of the party, Antonio Gambetta Vianna and Gian Luca Lazzeri, responded to the emphasis posed by the new federal secretary Roberto Maroni on the North and the establishment of a Padanian euroregion by changing the denomination of their group from "Lega Nord Toscana" to "More Tuscany".[21][22] Vianna and Lazzeri were soon expelled from the party, which was left without regional councillors.[23][24] In April 2013 also Morganti was expelled from the party.[25] These internal clashes resulted in a dismal result in the 2013 general election, during which the LNT garnered a mere 0.7% of the vote.[26] In April 2013, after a long transition under the supervision of Fava, a new national congress was held and Manuel Vescovi was elected new national secretary.[27]
In the 2015 regional election the LNT obtained its best result so far in a regionwide election by jumping from 6.5% of 2010 to 16.2%, while its candidate for president, anti-Euro economist Claudio Borghi, who was endorsed also by Brothers of Italy, came second with 20.0% of the vote.[28] In the 2016 local elections the party won Cascina (Pisa), its first large municipality in the region: Susanna Ceccardi obtained 28.4% in the first round and 50.3% in the run-off, while the party got 21.3%.[29][30]
In the 2018 general election the party won 17.4% of the vote in Tuscany. In the subsequent 2018 local elections the party ran well in several races, especially in Pisa and Massa where two of its members, Michele Conti and Francesco Persiani. respectively, were elected mayors.[31][32] In the 2019 European Parliament election the party reached a record 31.5% of the vote, while in the 2020 regional election, with Ceccardi as the centre-right candidate for president, it stopped at 21.8% (Ceccardi won 40.5%).
Following the formation of Lega per Salvini Premier and the 2019 federal congress of the LN, after which the latter became practically inactive, in February 2020 the LNT was re-established as Lega Toscana per Salvini Premier in order to become the regional section of the new party. The founding members of the new LR were Ceccardi, Tiziana Nisini, Elisa Montemagni, Jacopo Alberti and Elena Vizzotto.[33][34][35] After that, the party was successively led by Mario Lolini[36] and, since 2023, Luca Baroncini.[37]
In the 2023 regional congress, Baroncini was elected secretary by obtaining around 60% of the vote, while his opponent Luca Tacchi won around 35%.[38][39][40]
Popular support
editLega Nord Toscana has been one of the weakest national sections of the federal party and had received only low digits until the 2015 regional election, in which it obtained its best result so far (16.2%). The party was particularly strong in the provinces of Lucca (20.2%), Pisa (19.1%) and Grosseto (18.9%).
The electoral results of Lega Nord Toscana in the region are shown in the tables below.
1990 regional | 1992 general | 1994 general | 1995 regional | 1996 general | 1999 European | 2000 regional | 2001 general | 2004 European | 2005 regional | 2006 general | 2008 general | 2009 European | 2010 regional |
0.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 6.5 |
2013 general | 2014 European | 2015 regional | 2018 general | 2019 European | 2020 regional | 2022 general | 2024 European |
0.7 | 2.6 | 16.2 | 17.4 | 31.5 | 21.8 | 6.6 | 6.2 |
Leadership
edit- Secretary: Mario Forconi (1987–1988), Tommaso Fragassi (1988–1994), Simone Gnaga (1994–1998), Vincenzo Soldati (1998–2006), Luca Rodolfo Paolini (commissioner 2006–2008), Claudio Morganti (2008–2011), Giovanni Fava (commissioner, 2011–2013), Manuel Vescovi (2013–2018), Susanna Ceccardi (commissioner 2018–2019), Daniele Belotti (commissioner 2019–2020), Mario Lolini (commissioner 2020–2023), Luca Baroncini (2023–present, commissioner 2023)
- President: Tommaso Fragassi (1987–1988), Guido Niccolini (1988–1992), Renzo Del Carrìa (1992–1994), Dario Locci (1994–1996), Emilio Paradiseo (1996–1998), Walter Gherardini (1998–2001), Moreno Menconi (2001–2006), Antonio Gambetta Vianna (2008–2011), Francesco Pellati (2013–2018)
References
edit- ^ "Nasce 'Lega Toscana Salvini Premier': Il battesimo a Milano con i soci firmatari". 10 February 2020.
- ^ a b Riccardo Fragassi, Leghismo, Agemina, Sesto Fiorentino 1992
- ^ a b c La Storia | Lega Nord Toscana. Naz-toscana2.leganord.org (2013-01-24). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ (in Italian) Gianmarco Mancini / Deputati / Camera dei deputati - Portale storico. Storia.camera.it (1994-04-14). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ Stefanini, P. (2010). Avanti Po: la Lega Nord alla riscossa nelle regioni rosse. Il saggiatore. p. 48. ISBN 9788842816164. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
- ^ (in Italian) Per l'Europa dei popoli - V Congresso Federale della Lega Nord (1ª giornata). RadioRadicale.it (2012-06-30). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ "Per l'Europa dei popoli - V Congresso Federale della Lega Nord (1ª giornata)". radioradicale.it. 30 June 2012. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
- ^ Camera dei Deputati - XIII legislatura - Deputati - La scheda personale. Leg13.camera.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ "Verso Toscana Insieme - Incontro con Vincenzo Soldati - 3 dicembre 2003". Archived from the original on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2012-10-23.
- ^ "Search for a Member - MEPs - European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ Regione Toscana: Elezioni 2010 Archived 2017-03-08 at the Wayback Machine. Elezioni2010.regione.toscana.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ Emorragia nel Carroccio la Lega perde pezzi in Regione - Firenze - Repubblica.it. Firenze.repubblica.it (2011-04-19). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ Clamoroso: il consigliere regionale avv. Dario Locci di Sansepolcro, lascia la Lega Nord | Archivio del Fendente. Fendente3.wordpress.com (2011-04-21). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ (in Italian) Morganti se ne va: 'Troppe correnti sta arrivando un commissario' - La Repubblica. Ricerca.repubblica.it (2011-09-22). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ "Lega Nord Toscana, arrivato il commissario Giovanni Fava | il Toscano - Notizie dalla Toscana". Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
- ^ "E' NATA "IDENTITA' TOSCANA", ORA LE ADESIONI | l'Indipendenza Nuova". 12 January 2012.
- ^ "Portale CORRIERE DI AREZZO". www.corrierediarezzo.it. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15.
- ^ "Home-Page Sito Ufficiale del Consiglio regionale della Toscana, regione toscana, regione, toscana".
- ^ "Consiglio regionale: Marina Staccioli aderisce a «Fratelli d'Italia»".
- ^ "Regionali: Ecco la squadra di "Fratelli d'Italia" - Cronaca - lanazione.it". 23 August 2020.
- ^ "Lega Nord cambia nomein Regione è "Più Toscana"". la Repubblica (in Italian). 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Home-Page Sito Ufficiale del Consiglio regionale della Toscana, regione toscana, regione, toscana". www.consiglio.regione.toscana.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ Lega Nord senza più consiglieri in Regione: espulsi Vianna e Lazzeri - La Nazione - Toscana. Lanazione.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ Lega: Toscana, in due anni persi tutti e 4 consiglieri regionali - - Libero Quotidiano. Liberoquotidiano.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ "Morganti espulso dalla Lega Nord: «L'ho saputo da Facebook»". Il Tirreno (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ Dipartimento per gli Affari Interni e Territoriali. Elezioni.interno.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ [ Calenzano ] La Lega Nord nel suo congresso regionale conferma il segretario Manuel Vescovi di Agliana Archived 2013-07-11 at archive.today. gonews.it. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
- ^ "Toscana - Elezioni Regionali - 31 maggio 2015". Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ "Susanna Ceccardi è il nuovo sindaco di Cascina - Cronaca - il Tirreno". 19 June 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ "Comune di Cascina - Toscana - Elezioni Comunali - Risultati - Ballottaggio - 5 giugno 2016". Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ "Ballottaggi, cadono le roccaforti rosse: Massa, Pisa e Siena al centrodestra, Imola ai 5 Stelle. Vola la Lega. M5S conquista Avellino". 24 June 2018.
- ^ "Il centrosinistra scompare dalle mappe: Lega e 5 Stelle trionfano nelle roccaforti rosse". 25 June 2018.
- ^ Mattioli, Leonardo (2020-02-10). "Nata ufficialmente a Milano la Lega Toscana Salvini Premier ed i soci fondatori sono stati, l'On. Susanna Ceccardi, la Sen. Tiziana Nisini, i Consiglieri regionali Elisa Montemagni e Jacopo Alberti ed Elena Vizzotto". Centritalia News (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Politica: E' nata ufficialmente la Lega Toscana Salvini Premier - Livornopress - notizie livorno". Livornopress. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Lega Toscana Salvini Premier". Livornopress. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ Billero, Elia (2020-12-24). "Lega Toscana, Mario Lolini nuovo commissario regionale". gonews.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Lega, il nuovo commissario regionale Luca Baroncini incontra consiglieri e parlamentari". Luccaindiretta (in Italian). 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "Andrea Baroncini eletto alla guida della Lega in Toscana, ma la minoranza di Tacchi fa rumore". Il Tirreno (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
- ^ "La Lega alla resa dei conti. Sfida fra salviniani e ribelli al congresso regionale". 21 October 2023.
- ^ "Congresso regionale della Lega, eletto Baroncini, ma soffia forte il vento di Luca Tacchi da Livorno, ex paracadutista della Folgore". www.lagazzettadilucca.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-03-06.
External links
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