Borghi and Salvini (Lega) against Mattarella: «Today is not the celebration of EU sovereignty, the president should resign». Schlein: «Never seen the direct attack on the Head of State on June 2nd»

«It’s June 2nd, it’s Italian Republic Day. Today the sovereignty of our nation is consecrated. If the president really thinks that sovereignty belongs to the European Union instead of Italy, for consistency he should resign, because its function would no longer make sense.” Lega senator Claudio Borghi wrote it on X, posting a photo of an article on yesterday’s statements by the President of the Republic.
The president spoke of a European Union born through the initiative of “the free peoples of the continent” whose sovereignty is about to be consecrated by the European Parliament elections. To Borghi’s attack, the leader of the League Matteo Salvini, in Monica Maggioni’s program «In half an hour» (Raitre), added: «Today we celebrate the Republic, not the European Union of multinationals that they would like to put outside the norm all Made in Italy. I will never surrender to a European super state in which those who have the money are in charge, this is not Europe.”

Salvini then said: «Today is the feast of Italians and of the Republic, not of European sovereignty. We have a President of the Republic because there is a Republic, an Italian national sovereignty. I think of Europe as a set of sovereign, autonomous and free states that share some energies, some forces, but national sovereignty is absolutely fundamental.”

The reactions inside and outside the centre-right majority were clear.
«Solidarity with the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella for the attacks suffered» writes Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X. «We are Italian and European, this is our identity. This is our civilization. Every anti-European choice is harmful for Italy.” «Mattarella is right to underline our European perspective», adds the minister and deputy prime minister.
«The attack that came from the League on the President of the Republic is very serious and unprecedented and I would like the Prime Minister to express herself and distance herself from that attack». Giuseppe Conte leader of the M5S: «It is an unworthy controversy, requesting President Mattarella’s resignation is something that cannot be commented on, so serious and so inconclusive.” «The League’s attack «is a direct attack on the Head of State. Republic Day has never been seen. I hope that Salvini distances himself as soon as possible from what Borghi said.” He said it Elly Schlein to White Zone, on Network 4.

Maurizio Lupi leader of Noi moderates: «Claudio Borghi’s attack on the President of the Republic is unacceptable and unspeakable. The League apologizes for these inappropriate and disrespectful words towards Sergio Mattarella, guarantor of national unity and elected, I remember, also with the vote of the League.” According to Chiara Braga, dem group leader in the Chamber: «Salvini unambiguously condemns Borghi’s words, which close the circle of an attack on the figure of the President of the Republic which began with the legislature with a right-wing majority. The premiership project is not enough, now the explicit attack involves the request for resignation of the person most representative of national unity and the spirit of cohesion. A very serious signal on Republic Day. Salvini, leader of the same party and deputy prime minister, instead of covering up Borghi’s words should condemn them without ambiguity.”

In the opinion of Francesco Boccia, president of the senators in the Senate: «The words of Matteo Salvini which “cover” instead of condemning those of Senator Claudio Borghi are there to demonstrate, and there was certainly no need for them, the subversive strength of the sovereignist forces. On the day that celebrates our Republic, attacking, in an instrumental way, the President of the Republic and asking for his resignation means not respecting our institutions and the guarantor of national unity”.

For Boccia: «National unity is certainly not the priority of a force like the League that thinks about nominating people like Vannacci and proposing the differentiated autonomy dear to Calderoli. We, however, recognize ourselves in the lofty words of the President of the Republic, which they are a guiding star for the new generations of our country who believe in the EU and in true European sovereignty. European sovereignty which is the only hope against nationalism. On this the right must decide which side to take: either with Europe or with the worst nationalist impulses. It is evident that Salvini and the League must be quite desperate to try to gain a few more votes in the sovereignist far right to attack Sergio Mattarella in this way. We would like to know, and we expect a clear and strong distancing, what Giorgia Meloni thinks of the words of his allies.”

Riccardo Magi, secretary of +Europa, is even more direct: «Salvini’s endorsement of the Northern League member Borghi’s tweet in which the request for Sergio Mattarella’s resignation is made represents a subversive attack by the deputy prime minister of the Meloni government to the Head of State on the day in which Republic Day is celebrated, whose values ​​are embodied by the President of the Republic.

Action also takes a stand, with the senator and spokesperson Mariastella Gelmini: «The fact that Claudio Borghi comes to ask for the resignation of President Mattarella and that he does so by exploiting the words of the Head of State on an important day like Republic Day, it is unacceptable. The League condemns what happened and immediately distances itself from Borghi’s serious words.”

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June 2, 2024 (changed June 3, 2024 | 08:47)

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