Lega Nord facts for kids

This page is about the Italian political party founded in 1989. For its successor, see Lega (political party).

Quick facts for kids Northern League Lega Nord

Leader	Matteo Salvini (last leader)
Federal President	Umberto Bossi
Federal Secretary	Igor Iezzi (commissioner)
Founded	4 December 1989 (alliance) 8 January 1991 (party)
Merger of	Liga Veneta Lega Lombarda Autonomist Piedmont Ligurian Union Emilian-Romagna League Tuscan Alliance
Headquarters	Via Bellerio, 41 20161 Milan
Newspaper	la Padania (1997–2014)
Youth wing	Young Padanians Movement
Membership (2013)	122,000
Ideology	Federalism Regionalism Conservatism Populism Euroscepticism Historical: Padanian nationalism Separatism Autonomism Liberalism Libertarianism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
National affiliation	Centre-right coalition (1994 and 2000–present) Lega (since 2020)
European affiliation	EFA (1989–1994) ELDR (1994–1997) EAF (2013–2014) IDP (2014–present)
European Parliament group	Rainbow (1989–1994) ELDR (1994–1997) TGI (1999–2001) I/D (2004–2007) UEN (2007–2009) EFD (2009–2014) ENF (2015–2019) ID (2019–present)
Associate party	Lega per Salvini Premier
Colours	Green
Website

Political parties

The Lega Nord (meaning "Northern League") was an Italian political party. It was known for its focus on northern regions. The party wanted Italy to become a federal state. This means regions would have more power. It also supported regionalism and greater local autonomy.

The Lega Nord was founded in 1989 as a group of six regional parties. These parties were from northern and north-central Italy. In 1991, they officially merged into one party. Umberto Bossi was the founder and leader for a long time. The party often spoke out against illegal immigration and was critical of the European Union.

Since 2020, the Lega Nord has been mostly inactive. A new party, Lega per Salvini Premier (LSP), has taken its place. LSP was started by Matteo Salvini, who was the last elected leader of Lega Nord.

Party History

Early Years and Foundation

Umberto Bossi at the first big meeting in Pontida, 1990

Before Lega Nord, some regional parties were already active. For example, Liga Veneta (from Veneto) and Lega Lombarda (from Lombardy) had elected members to Parliament in the 1980s. These parties joined together as Alleanza Nord (Northern Alliance) in 1989.

Lega Nord officially started in 1991. It was a merger of these regional parties. They kept their regional names, like "Lega Lombarda–Lega Nord". The party was inspired by the medieval Lombard League. This was an alliance of northern Italian cities.

The party believed that northern Italians were different from people in central and southern Italy. They felt that the government in Rome wasted money, especially taxes from the North. They also opposed illegal immigration. The party became popular when many people were losing trust in older political parties. This was during the early 1990s.

In 1992, Lega Nord became the fourth largest party in Italy. They won 8.7% of the votes. In 1993, a party member, Marco Formentini, became mayor of Milan.

First Alliance with Berlusconi

In 1994, Lega Nord joined a group of parties called the Pole of Freedoms. This group included Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. Lega Nord got 8.4% of the votes. They won many seats in Parliament. A young Lega Nord member, Irene Pivetti, became President of the Chamber of Deputies.

The party also got five ministers in Berlusconi's government. But this alliance did not last long. Lega Nord left the government by the end of 1994. They disagreed on a pension reform. Some party members left Lega Nord after this.

Between 1995 and 1998, Lega Nord worked with centre-left groups in some local areas.

Padanian Separatism

After a strong election result in 1996 (10.1% of votes), Lega Nord wanted northern Italy to become independent. They called this new nation "Padania". In September 1996, Umberto Bossi took water from the Po River. He poured it into the sea in Venice. This was a symbolic act to show the birth of Padania. The party even held a vote on independence and elections for a "Padanian Parliament."

The party also started its own newspaper, TV channel, and radio station. However, their support dropped in the 1999 European Parliament election. They only got 4.5% of the votes. After this, the party focused less on independence. Instead, they pushed for devolution and federal reforms. This allowed them to join coalitions again.

Joining the House of Freedoms

In 2001, Lega Nord joined Berlusconi's new group, the House of Freedoms. They won the election. Lega Nord's vote share was lower (3.9%). But they still got important roles in government. They controlled three ministries. These included Justice and Labour.

Lega Nord was a strong supporter of Berlusconi. They worked to pass a constitutional reform. This reform would have made Italy more federal. It would also give more power to the Prime Minister. However, people voted against this reform in a 2006 public vote.

Fourth Berlusconi Government

In 2008, Lega Nord joined Berlusconi's new party, The People of Freedom. They had a great election, getting 8.3% of the votes. This was a big increase.

In Berlusconi's government, Lega Nord had four ministers. They helped pass a law for fiscal federalism. This means regions would keep more of their tax money. They also influenced policies on illegal immigration. They supported sending back boats of illegal immigrants.

In 2010, Lega Nord candidates won elections to lead the regions of Veneto and Piedmont. The party became the largest in Veneto. In 2011, Berlusconi resigned. Lega Nord was the only major party to oppose the new government led by Mario Monti.

From Bossi to Maroni

Roberto Maroni, 2010

Around 2011, there were disagreements within the party. Roberto Maroni was seen as the likely new leader. He was more moderate. Umberto Bossi's close group, called the "magic circle," tried to stop Maroni.

In April 2012, a financial scandal affected the party. The party's treasurer was accused of misusing party funds. This led to Bossi resigning as federal secretary. A group of three leaders, including Maroni, took over. Bossi was then made federal president.

Maroni's Leadership

Roberto Maroni speaks at the party meeting in Milan, 2012

In July 2012, Roberto Maroni was elected federal secretary. The party's rules were changed. Bossi became federal president for life. Regional sections also got more power.

In the 2013 general election, Lega Nord got only 4.1% of the votes. However, Maroni was elected President of Lombardy. This meant Lega Nord governed the three main northern regions.

In September 2013, Maroni announced he would leave the party leadership. Matteo Salvini and Umberto Bossi ran to be the next leader.

Salvini's Leadership

Matteo Salvini, 2018

In December 2013, Matteo Salvini was elected federal secretary. He got 82% of the votes. Under Salvini, the party became very critical of the European Union and the euro currency. He started working with other anti-EU leaders in Europe.

In the 2014 European Parliament election, the party focused on being against the Euro. They got 6.2% of the votes. This was less than before, but better than the 2013 general election. Salvini's goal was to lead the entire centre-right in Italy. He also started a sister party, Us with Salvini, for central and southern Italy.

In 2015, the party had more success in regional elections. They won in Veneto and did well in other regions. Salvini was re-elected leader in 2017. He wanted to change the party's name to just "Lega" (League). He also softened his views on the EU to make alliances easier.

"Yellow-Green" Government

Placard for the 2018 election campaign

In the 2018 general election, the League ran as part of a centre-right group. They had a huge success, becoming the third largest party with 17.4% of the votes. They did very well in the North.

Since no group won a majority, the League formed a government with the Five Star Movement. This was called the "government of change." Giuseppe Conte became Prime Minister. Salvini became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.

During 2019, the League became the largest party in opinion polls. They also did very well in the 2019 European Parliament election, winning 34.3% of the votes. This made Salvini's position in government stronger. At the European level, Salvini worked to create an alliance of nationalist parties.

In August 2019, Salvini decided to leave the government. He wanted a new election. But the Five Star Movement formed a new government with the Democratic Party. The League then became an opposition party.

2019 Party Changes

In December 2019, the party changed its rules. The federal secretary's term was extended. The new party, Lega per Salvini Premier (LSP), became active across all of Italy. The original Lega Nord still exists but is mostly inactive. This is partly because of a large debt it owes to the Italian state.

Party Ideas

Statue of Alberto da Giussano, a Medieval knight who inspired Umberto Bossi

The Lega Nord's main ideas include political federalism, fiscal federalism, and regionalism. They also defend northern Italian traditions. Their main goal was to make Italy a federated state. This would allow regions, especially "Padania" (their name for northern Italy), to keep more of the taxes collected there.

The party has changed its views over time. It started with ideas of libertarianism and social liberalism. But it later became more socially conservative. It also moved from supporting Europe to being very Eurosceptic. Today, Lega Nord is often seen as a right-wing populist party.

The party's culture was based on northern Italian pride. They often spoke of a Celtic heritage. They also showed resentment towards the government in Rome. They supported free market ideas and opposed big government. Their symbol is Alberto da Giussano, a hero from the Lombard League. This shows their opposition to central power.

Lega Nord has sometimes been critical of southern Italians. They felt that the government spent too much money on the South. They also believed that southern migration to the North caused problems.

The party has tried to work with other regional parties in Italy. These include parties from South Tyrol and Sardinia. They also have ties with regionalist parties across Europe.

Broad Appeal

Lega Nord wanted to unite all northern Italians who supported autonomy. So, it tried to be a "catch-all party." This means it included people with different political ideas. Early on, its voters came from various backgrounds, including former Communists and Christian Democrats.

It's hard to place the party strictly on the left or right. It supports both liberal ideas like less government rules and social-democratic ideas like protecting workers' wages. This is because it aimed to represent all northern Italians. It opposed both powerful businesses and a central government in Rome.

Many experts see Lega Nord as a right-wing populist party. But some leaders, like Matteo Salvini and Luca Zaia, say the party is "neither right nor left."

Key Policies

Lega Nord has supported lower taxes, especially for families and small businesses. They recently proposed a 15% flat tax. They also wanted direct elections for prosecutors and a regional court system.

The party cares about the environment. They support green areas and recycling. They also protect traditional food and oppose GMOs.

In foreign policy, the party has changed its stance. They opposed the Gulf War and the Kosovo War. But after the September 11 attacks, they supported efforts against terrorism. They were against Italy joining the war in Libya in 2011. In 2014, they opposed sanctions on Russia.

The party also has a humanitarian group. It helps in poor countries or those affected by war.

Federalism vs. Separatism

At first, Lega Nord's exact goals were unclear. Sometimes they seemed to want northern Italy to break away. Other times, they only asked for more autonomy. Eventually, they focused on federalism. This became a popular idea in Italy.

By 1996, the party openly called for the independence of Padania. Their party rules still state that their goal is "the achievement of the independence of Padania." They even created a group of "Green Volunteers" for civil defense.

When they allied with Berlusconi in 2001, they softened their separatist message. "Padania" became a name for a proposed "macro-region" within Italy. They also used the term "devolution" for giving more power to regions.

Euroscepticism vs. Europeanism

Lega Nord often criticized the European Union. They voted against the European Constitution. They prefer a "Europe of the Regions" instead of a "European superstate." Under Matteo Salvini, the party suggested Italy should leave the Euro currency.

However, some party members, like Roberto Maroni, said the party is not anti-Europe. They believe in a "new Europeanism." They want a "Europe of the peoples" and a truly federal Europe. They also supported more power for the European Parliament.

Immigration Policy

Matteo Salvini speaks at a Lega Nord rally in Turin, 2013

The party has a strict view on crime and illegal immigration, especially from Muslim countries. They support immigration from non-Muslim countries to protect Italy's "Christian identity." The party has been called "xenophobic" and "anti-immigration."

In 2002, a European group (ECRI) said Lega Nord members used "racist and xenophobic propaganda." They targeted non-EU immigrants and Roma. However, the party says it is not xenophobic. They claim the North is a victim of discrimination.

Despite some strong statements by members, the party's official line is more moderate. In some areas governed by Lega Nord, immigrants were well-integrated. Also, the first black mayor in Italy, Sandy Cane, was from Lega Nord. More recently, Toni Iwobi, a Nigerian-born member, became the first person of colour elected as a senator in Italy for the party.

International Connections

Lega Nord was part of the European Free Alliance (EFA) in the European Parliament. They later joined other groups, including the European Liberal Democrats and the Independence/Democracy group.

After the 2014 European election, they helped form the Europe of Nations and Freedom group. In 2019, they co-founded the Identity and Democracy group. This group includes parties like the French National Rally. Lega Nord also has ties with other parties in Europe and signed a cooperation agreement with United Russia.

Party Leadership

Federal Party Leaders

Federal Secretary: Umberto Bossi (1989–2012), Roberto Maroni (2012–2013), Matteo Salvini (2013–2020), Igor Iezzi (2020–present, commissioner)
Federal President: Marilena Marin (1989–1991), Franco Rocchetta (1991–1994), Stefano Stefani (1995–2002), Luciano Gasperini (2002–2005), Angelo Alessandri (2005–2012), Umberto Bossi (2012–present)