BOLZANO – Clear and personal victory for the Northern League player Mauricio FugattI, outgoing governor supported by the entire center right, in the province of Trento. Historic defeat of the UDC and siege of the confirmed president by the Italian and German right Arno Kompatscher, in the province of Bolzano. From the polls a less “special” Trentino Alto Adige emerges and increasingly aligned with the national vote, marked by the right-wing wind that shakes Europe: politically destroyed like never before in South Tyrol, strongly polarized in the south of the region. The center left, led by the Democratic Party, is still far from recovering Elly Schlein.
In the last test before the European elections in June, it retains a councilor in Bolzano: in Trento it is still the first party, but the unitary presidential candidate of the coalition. Francesco Valduga, confirms the most pessimistic polls and is 14 points below Fugatti. The internal conflict is the same Meloni-Salvini inside the center right. In Alto Adige, the League collapses, sees all its outgoing councilors rejected and is overtaken by the FdI, the main Italian party. In Trentino, the Melonians multiplied the votes tenfold from five years ago, but fell compared to the policies and became the second party in the coalition, surpassed by a League that was also in decline.
For Kompatscher, the formation of the new council of the autonomous province promises to be a long and difficult task. Fugatti’s work in Trentino is simpler and faster, which is why the majority bonus has also been activated: the result below the expectations of the FdI does not transform him into a president appointed by the Melonians, the failure of the deserter of the Northern League sergio divina it does not force you to reach agreements with a personal adversary jury. With the historic territorial parties in crisis, right in the cradle of autonomy, the advance of the German, pan-Tyrolean, independent, anti-immigrant and anti-vaccine right is imposed in Alto Adige, where the Italian-speaking elected representatives fall. from 8 to 5.
In Trentino, the divisions of the autonomists fuel the sovereignist consensus in favor of Fugatti. Very loyal to Salvini, he does not pass the plebiscites of zaya, Fedriga AND Fontana, neighboring presidents of the Northern League: despite criticism of their council, accused of inaction, their consensus increases and exceeds 50% of the votes. In Alto Adige, the political earthquake places the Volkspartei at its lowest point in history, for the first time below 40%. Kompatscher’s party does not exceed 34.5%, loses 7.4 points in five years and only obtains 13 of 35 seats.
Also elected as independent Hubert Messnerbrother of the king of the Eight Thousand: retired pediatrician, is named next health advisor. “My brother – he commented Reinold Messner to One day as a sheep on Rai Radio1: he is a genius at his job, a great athlete and has accompanied me several times on expeditions; He ran and showed that he is capable of winning an election.” And he added: “With more than 30,000 votes, Hubert has shown that the Messners have credibility in South Tyrol: we have done everything possible to move this country forward.”
“The era of the ethnic party and the exclusive representation of German-speaking citizens – says the political scientist Günther Pallaver – closes forever. The end of this monopoly, thanks to the statute of autonomy, today requires the involvement of useful, but inconvenient and inopportune allies.” To have a majority, the UDC will be forced to open itself to both the Italian and German right: the only alternative, a pact with the former interethnic members of Verdi and Team K, who are however unable to elect a single Italian. “The crushing – says Kompatscher – requires me to confront everyone without prejudice, without exception. External factors “Global relations and the hostility of the local media concerned are at the origin of this defeat and the extremism of the vote. However, internal disputes within the SVP must be admitted, an element that must be addressed and resolved decisively.” c
is now ready for the “historic compromise” in South Tyrol. Alexander Urzi, FdI regional coordinator, for the first time on the council with two elected representatives. “Our success – he affirms – thanks to the Meloni government safeguards autonomy. With us in power in both Rome and Trento, the pragmatism of the Volkspartei knows it can take advantage of the best opportunities.” Surprise variable: the revolt of the local League against the commissioner Mauricio Bosatraimposed by Salvini, accused of favoring a
former leader of An and the subsequent defeat.
The path of the center-right and Fugatti in Trentino was much less bumpy. The governor’s personal exploits project the center-right to 51.82%, more than 4 points more than in 2018. The League halved its votes in five years, but with 13.05% it remains the first party in the coalition , ahead of the FdI. The Melonians, with one point less, enter the council for the first time with 5 seats, on par with the Salvinians. To make a difference, with FI, which is an orphan of berlusconi Fugatti’s personal list collapses to 2% and he does not elect councilors: he wins 10.72% and relegates Patt’s autonomists to 8.1. “The message from the Trentino people – says Fugatti – is clear: they promoted the five years of my government. The growth of consensus makes me even more responsible on a personal level: however, all the center-right parties have achieved a great result.”
The reference, after the agreement to hand over the vice presidency to an FdI candidate, is the impossibility of overtaking Meloni-Salvini of Trentino. Within ten days, Fugatti will have to keep or break the promise: in the second case, the Melonians threaten to break in both Trento and Bolzano, which together represent the regional council and the council. “The success of Fugatti and the center-right – says political scientist Marco Brunazzo – is
to exclude crises in the province. The problem, not only for autonomy and in the face of the European elections, is rather the unresolved crisis of the Democratic Party and the center left, although they present themselves united. “Sovereignty and extremist territorial parties advance, reformism, moderates and historical autonomist parties are eclipsed.”
the race of Francesco Valduga Thus it stops at 37.50 and 13 councilors: in the center left the Democratic Party holds but does not grow, the Action center, Italia Viva and M5S do not enter the council, the Greens, the left and the autonomists of Campobase do not go beyond 4 seats. “We expected a better result – says Valduga – but Fugatti’s success is clear: thanks to those who voted and the increasingly decisive abstentionism. We have not managed to make the importance of territoriality and autonomy understood, we take note of a Trentino increasingly aligned with the right-wing vote. Now we have to check who governs and make important proposals: the foundations are there, but the path to rebuild a
“The victory of the center left is still long.”
