Differentiated autonomy does not convince the Calabrian parliamentarians of Forza Italia. It is the governor of the Region, Roberto Occhiuto, who makes public his right-wing criticism of the reform, relaunching a position already expressed in the past. «I fear that the national center-right has made a mistake, which it will soon realize» says the national deputy secretary of Forza Italia. «This rule needed to be explored further and the discussion had to take place in a calm manner: we would thus have had the opportunity to explain it better in the southern regions». A criticism that had taken shape in the chamber with the decision of three Calabrian FI deputies Francesco Cannizzaro, Giuseppe Mangialavori and Giovanni Arruzzolo not to vote for the law. A decision that Cannizzaro publicly claims in a post, also recalling that “it was the center-left that opened the horizons on differentiated autonomies”.
Occhiuto is keen to make it known that his position is not at all critical of Antonio Tajani, on the contrary «thanks to the amendments of my party the text has been improved compared to the initial version. If Tajani hadn’t been there, Forza Italia wouldn’t be at 10% today.” His attack is therefore aimed “at the centre-right” as a whole. The president of Basilicata, Vito Bardi, instead focuses on the “great work of Forza Italia to protect the South”. «We have made the text closer to the needs of the South also through fundamental agendas. Alongside our secretary we will continue to work in this direction.”
The person who takes it upon himself to reply to Occhiuto is Matteo Salvini who makes autonomy a political banner. «Reread the program. Autonomy will be a great opportunity to improve the South. Those who are capable have nothing to fear.”
But a dissonant voice resonates in Calabria even in the ranks of the League. The president of the Regional Council Filippo Mancuso believes that the text «as it stands does not protect our territory. It is confusing and not in line with the real needs of the South.”
