Lucrezia Ciotti The League is preparing for its extraordinary congress on October 24 and 25 in Milan, a crucial event for the party's future. Challenging Matteo Salvini for the leadership of the League is Massimo Garavaglia , senator and former Minister of Tourism, who aims to revitalize the party's federalist identity and connection with the local communities. His candidacy sparks an internal debate over the leadership and political direction of the movement.
Garavaglia challenges Salvini: "I'm running for the League Congress."
" I'm running because I'm free and I'm a member of the League ." With these words, Massimo Garavaglia, a Northern League senator and former Minister of Tourism, announced his intention to run for party secretary . The race will be played out during the League's extraordinary congress, scheduled for Milan on October 24 and 25, where Matteo Salvini could find himself facing a competitor for the first time.
Garavaglia's candidacy comes amidst a period of internal debate over the movement's future and its political identity.
The senator explained that he wanted to bring the League's original principles back to the center, reaffirming its federalist nature and connection to local communities. " There's a congress. I'm from the League and I'm running ," he declared, specifying that his goal is also to reiterate " that we are not a far-right party.
We are federalists and we are the party of the territories ." A position that could give voice to the component most tied to the Northern tradition and to the experience of government, also considering the political relations with Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and the closeness to the President of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana.
Who is Massimo Garavaglia: from his roles in Lombardy to the Draghi government?
Born in 1968 in Cuggiono, in the province of Milan, Massimo Garavaglia is a longtime member of the League, a graduate of Bocconi University and a business consultant . His political career began at the administrative level in 1999, when he became mayor of Marcallo con Casone . In 2006, he entered Parliament , elected to the Chamber of Deputies after running for the Lombardy 1 constituency on the Lega Nord-Movimento per l'Autonomia list. In 2013, he joined the regional government led by Roberto Maroni, taking on the role of Councilor for the Budget, and subsequently held the roles of Undersecretary and Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance during the Conte I and Conte II governments.
His institutional experience also includes leading the Ministry of Tourism in the government led by Mario Draghi . Currently a senator in the 19th legislature, Garavaglia is chairman of the Senate's 6th Permanent Committee, responsible for Finance and Treasury matters, and is a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Regional Affairs.
The announcement of Garavaglia's candidacy received initial approval from Salvini , who commented in the European Parliament: " I called a congress so that there are people who will stand as candidates, who will make proposals, contribute ideas, and present motions ." The secretary then added: " The more the merrier ," emphasizing that the party's future will be decided by its members. If Garavaglia's candidacy is formalized, the congress could transform into a real leadership debate, with the use of a secret ballot rather than a joint confirmation of Salvini.