Lombard autonomy referendum, 2017
| Lombard autonomy referendum, 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Location | Lombardy, Italy |
| Date | 22 October |
| Voting system | Simple majority |
The Lombard autonomy referendum of 2017 took place on 22 October in Lombardy, Italy.
The poll was not binding, but might have consequences in terms of negotiations between the Italian government and Lombardy, as the regional government will ask for more devolved powers since the "yes" won. Also, neighbouring Veneto held a similar referendum on 22 October. Both President of Lombardy Roberto Maroni and President of Veneto Luca Zaia are members of Lega Nord (LN) and, more specifically, of Lega Lombarda and Liga Veneta, respectively. The LN is a strong proponent of federal reform, but in this case the referendums are also supported by the Five Star Movement.
The Economist newspaper, which bet on the "yes" camp to prevail, also predicts that, due to the perceived "anti-southern skew" of the vote, the "national ambitions" of Matteo Salvini, LN federal secretary, will be negatively impacted by a resounding "yes" victory, while Zaia could become the "future leader of the party".
...
Wikipedia