Differentiated autonomy, government approves the draft laws

The Council of Ministers has approved the draft laws for the differentiated autonomy of four regions in Northern Italy. The texts, presented by the Minister for Regional Affairs Roberto Calderoli, grant Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, and Liguria "additional forms and special conditions of autonomy" in matters such as health protection, coordination of public finance, and civil protection.

The approval came somewhat earlier than the 45 days provided by law from the transmission of the final agreements by the regions, which occurred between September 3 and 22 of last year. The League's secretary Matteo Salvini described the approval as "an enormous satisfaction, as a minister, as an Italian, and as a member of the League."

Now the draft laws will move to parliamentary review, where they must be approved by an absolute majority in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. A swift process is expected, with the aim of concluding it in the first months of 2027, also in view of possible elections in the spring.

Differentiated Autonomy is an institution provided for by Article 116, third paragraph, of the Italian Constitution, which allows Regions to obtain "further forms and special conditions of autonomy" on specific matters. This process began years ago with requests from some Northern Regions, particularly Lombardy and Veneto, which promoted consultative referendums in 2017 to ask for greater powers.

The process materialized with Law 56 of 2023, which defined the procedures for implementing this autonomy. The interested Regions must negotiate a "preliminary agreement" with the government, later transformed into a "definitive agreement," which is finally translated into draft laws to be approved by the Council of Ministers and Parliament.

The current government, led by Giorgia Meloni, has made the approval of Differentiated Autonomy a central point of its program, supported in particular by the League, a party historically linked to the federalist demands of the North. The rapid approval of the draft laws is also seen as a way to give momentum to the governing coalition in view of possible early elections.