Brussels – It is now official: the consultative referendum on the autonomy of the Lombardy Region will be held on October 22. Today, the Governor of the Lombardy Region, Roberto Maroni, signed the decree for the opening of the consultation in Cremona, on the occasion of the ‘Lombardy holiday’, on the day of the 1176 Legnano battle. On the same day, a similar referendum is to be held for the Veneto Region.
The Governor of the Lombardy Region is radiant: “It is an extraordinarily important appointment for all the citizens of Lombardy, given it can mean a turning point, a new story for Lombardy, with the opportunity to keep the resources we need to do all we have to do.” “I am very glad and excited,” Maroni added, “this is the crowning of so many battles, a dream came true.” “Now it’s the turn of the people, and rightly so as in every democratic system. I hope that the Democratic Party eventually endorses the referendum,” concluded the Governor of Lombardy, member of the Northern League, hoping that in the event of early general elections, the referendum will be held the same day, perhaps together with the regional elections.
On the same day, October 22, Governor Luca Zaia announced a similar referendum on autonomy in Veneto. Polls are to be open from 7am to 11pm.
“I will advise everyone to vote positively,” said the Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala (elected with centre-left parties) some time ago, adding that “this is not a matter that belongs to the Northern League only, but partly to everyone, and on which the Government has given clear openings. Hence, in my opinion this is a fair issue, but the referendum is definitely useless.”
Here is the text of the referendum question:
“Do you want the Lombardy Region, in view of its specialty, within the framework of national unity, to undertake the institutional initiatives necessary to require the State to assign further special forms and conditions of autonomy, with the concerned resources, pursuant to and in compliance with the third paragraph of Article 116 of the Constitution, and with reference to any legislative matter for which such proceedings are admissible on the basis of the Article referred to?”.
