The differentiated autonomy reform brings together the Tuscan centre-left, including Italia Viva, in its opposition to the Government’s measure. A protest that will move in institutional buildings and squares, on two parallel tracks: on the one hand the appeal to the Consulta by five Regions, Tuscany in the lead, on the other the collection of signatures for the repeal referendum.
A battle whose victory is far from easy, with the risk of remaining defeated and isolated, with even more difficult relations with the Government of Rome.
He was the first to take the field the governor Eugenio Giani which criticizes the Calderoli law for drawing a very different picture from the one in which in 2019 the Tuscany Region had initiated the request for differentiated autonomy on ten subjects: health, territorial governance, the environment, employment protection, education and training, assets cultural, reception of asylum seekers, local autonomy, coordination of public finance, ports. «This law is just an electoral manifesto. On the one hand, it is centralized in the facts and on the other, with this law, a presumed differentiated autonomy is proclaimed. Which is not provided with resources, that is, there are no resources to ensure compliance with the essential levels, and essentially separates the activities of the Regions – explains Giani – We believe in regionalism, but in a fair and supportive regionalism, which knows the resources distribute in a balanced way and which is capable of enhancing the specific skills of the Regions without however causing war between them. Unfortunately, however, the text that was approved determines this instead.”
The line of action, continues the Tuscan governor, has already been drawn. «The Constitution provides that if five Regions agree on the initiative they can ask for a referendum. We are totally available to do it, the five regions are already there: us, Emilia-Romagna, Puglia, Campania and Sardinia. I will commit myself personally on this front. As Regions we will continue the process for a referendum, and we will also try to involve Southern Regions, such as Calabria. At the same time there will be the process of collecting signatures already announced for example by the CGIL for a repeal referendum”.
Also the president of the Tuscan regional council, Antonio Mazzeo (PD exponent like Giani) will move to involve the other Regions, his colleagues at the head of the elective assemblies, in a joint and coherent action. Mazzeo was yesterday at the plenary meeting of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels, and explains: «Differentiated autonomy risks dividing Italy between North and South, between internal areas and more populated areas, it risks creating twenty small Italies. We want an Italy capable of helping the most vulnerable without leaving anyone behind and for this reason we will use every possible means to oppose this plan of the right. We will not only collect citizens’ signatures; I will speak with the other colleagues of the center-left-led regional councils to ask them to approve a resolution that establishes a referendum to repeal the law, in accordance with the provisions of Article 75 of the Constitution. Each of us, with all the tools at our disposal, must try to stop this reform.”
Vincenzo Ceccarelli, dem group leader in the Regionconfirms the double track: «We will approve the law to appeal as Regions and we will support the collection of signatures launched by the Democratic Party, and not only, for a referendum: we are all already available to authenticate the signatures».
Italia Viva will also be at the game together with the Democratic Party, and this could perhaps have some implications in defining the alliances for the next Regionals. «Matteo Renzi launched the idea of collecting signatures to repeal the law, we will fight against an unjust law that is bad for Tuscany – says Stefano Scaramelli, leader of the IV group in the region – And from the Regional Council we will also bring our opposition to the streets, with the collection of signatures”.
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