[4][5][6] All this was criticised by LN founder Umberto Bossi, who re-called his left-wing roots,[7][8] and Mayor of Verona Flavio Tosi, who represented the party's centrist wing and defended the Euro.

In the run-up of the 2017 leadership election Salvini was focused on becoming the leader of the centre-right[10][11] and, possibly, changing the LN's name by ditching "North".

Giovanni Fava, who is anti-prohibition of drugs, pro-civil unions for same-sex couples, pro-Atlanticism, and anti-National Front ("[it] is one of the most centralist and conservative blocs in Europe, what has it to do with us?

"), recalled an old LN activist saying "let's hurry up in making Padania, that I want to return voting the left" and added "this was the League and it has to be like this anew".

This is a closed primary where all ordinary and militant members with at least 12 months of membership are reserved for 31 December 2016[24] and they also have the right to sign in support of secretarial nominations, which they need a minimum of 1000 signatures to be able to apply.