Edward Marchesi The Aosta Valley Regional Council decided, on Thursday evening, to entrust the presidency to Aurelio Marguerettaz , a 63-year-old accountant and prominent member of the Union Valdôtaine . With 21 votes out of 34 present, the new head of the council replaced Renzo Testolin , who was declared ineligible by the Turin court.
Election and political alliances
The appointment was made possible thanks to the support of all autonomist representatives, namely the Union Valdôtaine and the Centro Autonomista, as well as a vote of confidence from Forza Italia . This party's entry into the regional government is unique at the national level, as it has decided to collaborate with the autonomists without including its former center-right allies.
Party support
Forza Italia 's vote secured the necessary majority, stabilizing the new government majority. At the same time, the unity among the autonomists consolidated the message of continuity in the defense of Aosta Valley autonomy, a key element of Marguerettaz 's election campaign.
The legal context: the fall of Renzo Testolin
On October 27, the Turin Court of Appeal upheld the decision to dismiss Renzo Testolin , following a first-instance ruling the previous May. The reason was that Testolin had exceeded the limit of three consecutive terms established by regional law, a rule the court deemed binding. Testolin has the right to appeal to the Supreme Court , but in the meantime, his cabinet has fallen, making way for a new executive.
The new president's priorities and the opposition's reactions
In his first speech, Marguerettaz outlined a project based on concrete autonomy : ensuring a 24-hour school system in the valley, ensuring accessible healthcare, promoting housing for families, encouraging business investment, and making the region attractive to young people. He also declared his intention to establish relations with the national government "based on institutional loyalty, respect, and solutions."
Responses from national parties
The Democratic Party , an ally of the Union Valdôtaine in the previous legislature, welcomed the proposal, stating that it recognized "many elements worth sharing." The League declared its willingness to engage in discussion, but warned that it did not want to "sign blank cheques." Brothers of Italy called for an end to the "head-on confrontation" that had characterized the former government, while the leader of the AVS group , Chiara Minelli , emphasized that this is the tenth president of the Aosta Valley in ten years, highlighting a "crisis" due to the failure to comply with a regional law.