Salvini to face challenge from Garavaglia for League leadership

(ANSA) - ROME, 21 OTT - Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini will face a challenge from Senator Massimo Garavaglia for the leadership of the League when the right-wing party holds an extraordinary congress in Milan this week. On Wednesday former tourism minister Garavaglia officially became a leadership contender by crossing the threshold of having the support of 80 delegates. Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana is among the figures who are backing Garavaglia. Salvini has come under fire from moderates in the party unhappy with it shifting further to the Right and those who think it should return to its traditional focus on northern Italy. Salvini, 53, took over what was the Northern League in 2013 and dropped the 'Northern' part of its name to make it simply 'the League' to strengthen its appeal nationwide The late Umberto Bossi founded the Northern League in 1989 by forming an alliance of regional parties. Under him, the party initially campaigned for independence for northern Italy - the Republic of Padania - under the slogan "Roma Ladrona" ("Thieving Rome"). But it subsequently softened its demands to calls for greater autonomy for the country's wealthier northern regions. (ANSA).
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