Innsbruck (OTS) – A possible post-fascist and anti-autonomy government in Rome as well as a divided or weakened South Tyrolean People’s Party: The Italian parliamentary elections could trigger a political earthquake also in South Tyrol.
The Italian parliamentary elections on September 25 will catch the South Tyrolean People’s Party (SVP) more than just on the wrong foot. The threat of a massive shift to the right with a possible post-fascist prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, does not bode well for the peaceful coexistence of the German, Ladin and Italian language groups, which is guaranteed by autonomy. At the same time, the Edelweiss is still in the midst of one of its biggest internal party crises since 1945. Until now, one of the strengths of the collective party has been to present itself as a shield for the German-speaking minority in Italy, despite all the internal conflicts. On the other hand, with its autonomy policy in the national government, the SVP has always invited the Italian-speaking South Tyroleans to go along with this special path. Silvius Magnago, as the “father of autonomy”, made self-administration a success story; with Luis Durnwalder, another great chapter of “dynamic” autonomy was added – also thanks to thousands of Italian votes – and Arno Kompatscher, as governor of the province, consistently continues this path. Although the respective central governments in Rome are trying harder than ever to erode the autonomy competences.
But the conflicts of interest in the SVP that came to light in the spring, which are anything but old-fashioned wing wars, have permanently shaken the collective party. Can it therefore still live up to the claim to sole representation that it has internalized for decades?
The SVP is already having a hard time in a society that has also become fragmented in South Tyrol. Scandals, affairs, rampant economic lust for power on the part of high-ranking mandataries, as well as power struggles at all levels, all the way up to LH Arno Kompatscher and party leader Philip Achammer, are exacerbating the political weakness. Even the nominations for candidates in the parliamentary elections reveal a picture of discord. Conservative forces in the SVP have deliberately stirred up this conflict in order to weaken Kompatscher once and for all.
How, however, will such a frayed Edelweiss hold out against the arrival of a declared anti-autonomy government in Rome that dwarfs all previous centralist attacks on South Tyrolean autonomy? A year and a half before the South Tyrolean state elections, the elections in Italy could accelerate the process of erosion in the SVP. Or reorder the situation. In favor of provincial governor Arno Kompatscher or possibly against him.
Tiroler Tageszeitung
0512 5354 5101
[email protected]
OTS-ORIGINAL TEXT PRESS RELEASE UNDER EXCLUSIVE CONTENT RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SENDER. www.ots.at
© Copyright APA-OTS Originaltext-Service GmbH and the respective sender.
The post TIROLER TAGESZEITUNG “Leitartikel” Issue of August 17, 2022, by Peter Nindler: “Fateful election for South Tyrol and the SVP” appeared first on TOP News Austria – News from Austria and around the world.
