Giovanni Toti, the president of the Liguria region, currently under house arrest since May 7 on corruption charges, is working with his lawyer Stefano Savi to prepare his strategy for returning to the political scene. Among the next moves there are requests for meetings with various political figures, without however foreseeing resignation.
Requests to the Genoa prosecutor’s office
Toti, with the support of his lawyer, is about to present a series of documents to the Genoa prosecutor’s office requests to organize meetings with various political representatives. These meetings, according to Savi, are necessary for an update on the current situation. Among the first interlocutors will be the members of his majority, who have always shown support for him.
The meetings that Toti intends to request will not include discussions on his possible resignation. The main objective is to address the regional policies that the council, and in particular the majority, will have to carry forward while awaiting Toti’s complete political return. According to Savi, “Certainly in the next few hours we will present Toti’s request to the Genoa court both to be able to compare with his list, which is the first group in terms of numerical strength of the Regional Council, and, furthermore, to be able to have a comparison with the regional leaders of the coalition parties and with the reference parliamentary group at national level”.
Potential interlocutors
Giovanni Toti’s defender, Stefano Savi, maintains confidentiality about the names of the politicians that his client intends to meet in his home in Ameglia or via virtual connections.
Lawyer Savi underlined the importance of a discussion with the regional leaders of the coalition parties and with the reference parliamentary group at national level, with the possibility of further requests for meetings.
Among the regional leaders of the coalition, it is easy to imagine that Toti could turn to Matteo Rosso of Fratelli d’Italia, Carlo Bagnasco of Forza Italia, and Edoardo Rixi of the League. The latter, in particular, could be a privileged interlocutor, given the support received from the beginning of the arrest by the Northern League leader Matteo Salvini.
As for the parliamentary group, probable names include Maurizio Lupi, president of “Noi Moderati”, and Ilaria Cavo, not under investigation but already heard as a person informed of the facts in the investigation into the vote swap.
Savi insists on the importance of the meetings for the future political choices of the region: “We remember that Toti, in addition to the institutional function of regional president, plays the role of leader of a regional force that is absolutely indispensable for the political choices of the near future”. He also specifies that resignations are not under discussion during these meetings, which are essential for a discussion on the regional policies that the majority will have to carry forward.
Difficulty in authorization
It seems unlikely that the judge will authorize a series of summits that could be perceived as normal political activity, despite the current situation. However, it is possible that a meeting will be granted, especially considering the previous consensus for the meeting with councilor Giampedrone and for the vote in the European elections.
Revocation of house arrest denied
Despite the recent refusal of the revocation of house arrest by the investigating judge of Genoa, Paola Faggioni, Toti does not give up. The judge justified his decision by citing the risk of repeating the crime, in view of the 2025 regional elections, for which Toti had already started raising funds. This risk, according to the investigating judge, is still present since Toti maintains the same public functions and positions, with the possibility that these may be used for private purposes in exchange for funding.
Defense and next legal steps
Toti’s defense is ready to contest this decision, planning to appeal to the review judges. However, it turns out that the time for the hearing may not be short. Meanwhile, Toti is preparing to continue his political activity remotely, seeking to maintain leadership and influence within the Liguria region.
