«The seriousness of those who pay attention to the substance was rewarded in the elections in Friuli. Salvini? In a few months it reversed the trend»- Corriere.it

Trieste
President Massimiliano Fedriga, with your 64.2% (result never achieved by a candidate for governor in Friuli-Venezia Giulia) you are a candidate to emulate your Venetian colleague. After Zayastan, will we have Fedrighistan?

“No, we’re not kidding. Here is just one Region that has been well governed. I am happy with this result which, due to its size, charges me with even greater responsibility».

She said she did not expect this result. But her victory was a given.
“True, but not with these numbers. I had perceived the positive climate, but I didn’t think I’d go beyond 56-57%».

What is responsible for such a high result?
«The commitment of 5 years of work has been recognized».

But in particular?
«Probably, the seriousness of the government. The style of someone who pays attention to the substance of the problems, who doesn’t make bombastic declarations».

Did it help you to have been on the front line managing the Covid emergency?
«I think the citizens have perceived the difficulties we have had to face but also the seriousness with which we have managed them. I’ve always said that when I had to make a decision I didn’t look at whether it would make me gain or lose votes. Citizens understand that.”

Yet, just in Trieste there were the noisiest demonstrations of the No vax.
«Well, protests, perhaps made by many people who have come from outside, are one thing, tackling and solving problems is quite another. Responsibility is needed here, we have demonstrated it ».

You tried to “justify” FdI’s lackluster result. But the numbers speak for themselves: compared to Policies, the decline is clear.
«I think it is not correct to compare consultations of different types. Here the comparison must be made with respect to the Regionals of 2018. The leap forward of FdI is clear ».

The League, on the other hand, compared to 2018 has lost a lot of support but gains in comparison with the Policies of last September.
“And I’m very happy about it. The result went well above expectations, as indeed happened to the list that bore my name».

What is responsible for the success of your list?
«We have achieved the objective of conquering those voters who appreciate our work but do not recognize themselves in the parties. In this way we have managed to broaden the basis of our consensus, moreover without penalizing any of our partners”.

Is the League doing better because it has become “fedrighized”, that is, has become pragmatic and less street vendor?
«First of all, the proposal for territorial governance, as seen also in Lombardy and Lazio, was appreciated by the voters. And then Salvini’s contribution as Minister of Infrastructure was rewarding. Matteo is working very well in Rome».

The results in Lombardy and Friuli-Venezia Giulia seem to confirm this…
«It is astonishing how in a few months we have managed to reverse a negative trend. It usually takes years to change a trend».

But given the acclaim he has obtained, don’t you think he could spend himself for a role at national level?
«No, I proposed myself for the leadership of my Region, that’s why I was elected and this is what I want to do. I don’t think about anything else.”

With which sling will he compose his junta? Unlike Lombardy, the Brothers of Italy cannot take the lion’s share here.
«The results of the elections allow us to have a better balance between the political forces that make up the majority. Everyone will have their own space and everyone will be fundamental. The assignments will be distributed not only on the basis of the votes received but also on the skills. The parties are aware that a strong junta benefits everyone».

And now how does it intend to spend the citizens’ votes?
«By completing some projects started in the past years. I am thinking of the Old Port of Trieste, but also of the health reform that we thought of in 2019 and which was stopped due to the Covid emergency”.

The centre-left didn’t scare her much.
“It seems to me that this time, even in coalition with the M5S, he obtained the same votes as five years ago”.

Why so bad?
“What interests me is that we did well, I don’t look at the others”.

He has just been re-elected and there is already talk of a third term. Is this a realistic assumption?
“As president of the Conference of the Regions, I can say that there is almost unanimous consensus in this sense”.