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The warrant interrogation
The investigating judge has scheduled the interrogation of Giovanni Toti for Friday, while the logistics entrepreneur Aldo Spinelli and Toti’s chief of staff, Matteo Cozzani, will be heard on Saturday.
The regency
For now, the administrative activity of the Region, the body assures, continues without interruption with the pro tempore regency of the Northern League vice-president Alessandro Piana, number two in the Region and Ligurian councilor for Agriculture, whose name ended up a few months ago – not as a suspect – in another Genoese investigation linked to alleged parties with VIPs and escorts. Piana will fill the role until a different decision is made, as expected in the event of temporary impediment, while Toti is suspended from office, as a result of the Severino law.
Resignation or motion of no confidence
Toti’s arrest comes in the middle of his second mandate, while the debate of recent months launched by the governor himself moved the bar towards unblocking the limit of renewals for Italian regional presidents (a hypothesis which had also created discontent within of the majority parties), now in Liguria the scenario suddenly changes. Even if resignation is a distant and uncertain hypothesis, and Piana himself reiterated that “there is no inkling that there will be early elections”, it should be considered that even the majority could push in this direction. In addition to the opposition, Fratelli d’Italia could also emerge strengthened by focusing on one of its candidates. According to observers, in fact, Meloni’s party already has a name, that of Massimo Nicolò, doctor and former mayor of Genoa. If the resignation option were not taken into consideration, the opposition would have to present a motion of no confidence and, in this case, it cannot be ruled out that someone in the centre-right majority could vote in favour. If the motion passed, Toti would be deposed and the entire regional council would fall. And there would be an early vote.
Early voting
Toti’s mandate would have expired next year, in September, by virtue of the last election organized after the first wave of Covid and for this reason it was moved to the autumn. Already a few months ago, in view of the expiry of the mandate, there were those who thought among the corridors of the Region that an extension would probably be opted for, thus allowing a postponement to spring 2026 in order not to vote in the autumn and realign with the other local elections in Italy. A scenario destined to change and which is weighed not only by the uncertainties on the duration of the provision against Toti but also by the political balance of his allies. In the event of resignation or a motion of no confidence and early elections, the vote would probably be held in the autumn, between September and October. It is certainly impossible for Liguria to vote together with the European elections in June, as there is not the technical time necessary to call the elections.
Piana: “No hint of early elections”
All hypotheses discarded for now. “I confirm my esteem and support for Toti, I am certain that he acted in the exclusive interest of the Region”, explained the president pro tempore Alessandro Piana. According to Piana, early voting would not be a solution. “The Liguria Region represents people, territories, provides services and for this reason the administrative machine cannot be stopped. We owe it to the Ligurians and every councilor will continue to carry out the administrative activity”, he underlined. “We have already scheduled the next council – continued Piana -, we are ahead on many of the commitments and if I have to take stock of what the Toti administration has been so far with regards to investments, infrastructures and projects carried out I believe that no one can question it and no one will do so until this matter is clarified, I hope as soon as possible. From the point of view of the majority in the council we have already heard from almost all the group leaders and councilors and there is no inkling that let’s go to early elections.”
Salvini: “Resigning would be a surrender”
Matteo Salvini also intervened on the case. “Resigning would be a surrender, from my point of view. Because tomorrow any investigation, notice of investigation or indictment would lead to the resignation of a mayor”, declared the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport. “I am not in a position to suggest anything to Giovanni, who I consider to be an excellent administrator – he added -. I believe that in Italy and in all civilized countries, anyone who is guilty, if convicted in the three levels of judgement, an investigation is not enough. I invite him to demonstrate that he worked correctly and I hope that the judges quickly give him the opportunity to do so.”
