Lega statute commission sets extraordinary congress for 24–25 October in Milan
The statute and rules commission of the Lega has unanimously proposed holding an extraordinary party congress in Milan on 24–25 October, with the final decision now resting with the party's Federal Council. Roberto Calderoli, a long-standing senator and party figure, confirmed the outcome of the commission's work, which concluded this morning.
What happens next
The proposal now goes to the Federal Council, which must approve the regulations, dates and venue. That decision will determine whether the congress proceeds as planned and whether it becomes a formal leadership vote or a programmatic assembly.
For party members, the stakes are straightforward. Delegates will vote on the federal secretary, the party's top role, and set the political line for the coming years. The congress was called by Matteo Salvini, the current federal secretary, from the stage at the Pontida rally earlier in September 2026, in what he framed as a test of confidence in his leadership.
Context of the congress
The decision to convene an extraordinary congress comes amid internal friction and declining poll numbers for the Lega. A faction calling itself the "northern front" has pressed for a return to the party's original federalist and autonomist roots, arguing that the party has drifted from its base. At the centre of the dispute is whether the party should re-emphasise territorial autonomy and adopt a more collegiate leadership structure.
One proposal discussed in earlier months would have given Luca Zaia, the president of the Veneto region, a more prominent national role. That idea was shelved by Salvini, who in June 2026 said the party statute would not be altered, favouring instead new internal coordination mechanisms.
Tensions within the party
Not all party figures support the congress format. Senator Massimiliano Romeo, who leads the Lega group in the Senate and serves as secretary of Lega Lombardia, has called the event a "trappolone" — a snare — and has said his faction will not take part. Romeo's criticism centres on the use of the same delegates who elected Salvini in 2025, a setup he says offers no real opening for alternative candidates.
Romeo has said he will launch his own movement without leaving the party, arguing that the Lega must rediscover what he called its "antico spirito leghista" — the old Lega spirit that put community before personal ambition. He cited a need to return to issues such as federalism, bureaucracy and taxation.
Attilio Fontana, the president of Lombardy, has taken a more cautious line, saying he would assess the format and continue to represent his political ideas. Riccardo Molinari, the Piedmont secretary, shares many of the northern faction's concerns but has so far avoided a full break with the leadership. Other regional governors, including Zaia and Massimiliano Fedriga, have been named as figures pressing for change.
Recent history of Lega congresses
Party congresses have defined the Lega's direction over the past decade. In April 2025, the Federal Congress in Florence confirmed Salvini as secretary, his third re-election, running unopposed. That followed the 2017 congress in Parma, where Salvini defeated rival Giovanni Fava and pivoted the party toward a national, sovereigntist line, creating the "Noi con Salvini" brand to extend the party's reach beyond its northern heartland.
An extraordinary congress in 2019 allowed the party to adopt the "Lega per Salvini Premier" name alongside its traditional symbol.
The proposed October 2026 congress will mark the first such gathering since those decisions, convened in response to a challenge from within.
What is at stake
If the Federal Council approves, Lega activists and local representatives will gather in Milan for a two-day assembly. The format means a vote on leadership and policy direction, though critics argue the delegate list tilts the field toward Salvini's re-election. The party's ability to manage its internal split — and whether dissident factions attend or disengage — will shape its cohesion heading into future electoral contests.
