The “lumbards” disappointed by Salvini's League, reunited by Roberto Castelli, and the Sicilians from the South calls the North led by Cateno De Luca: it is this unexpected alliance that will present itself at the European elections under a symbol in which the word Freedom stands out, and which says it is ready to welcome other autonomist and northern movements, with the not hidden implication of stealing votes from the League. The agreement was presented to Montecitorio by De Luca and Castelli themselves, as well as by Francesco Gallo and Laura Castellirespectively parliamentarian and president of Sud Gioca Nord.
The new strength with which Cateno De Luca presented himself at the press conference together with the former Keeper of the Seals Castelli, depends on the approval in the Constitutional Affairs Commission of the Senate of the amendment which confirms the exemption from the collection of signatures for South calls North, after an initial formulation of the amendment obliged him to collect subscriptions. With an act of “generosity”, said De Luca, the party is ready to ally itself with other autonomist parties “offering” them an alliance that exempts them from the requirement of signatures (30 thousand in each of the 5 constituencies).
Roberto Castelli indicated two reasons that led him to the agreement with South calls North. Firstly the fact that «Salvini's League has betrayed the autonomist ideals» of Umberto Bossi's League, and transformed it «into a centralist party»; hence the foundation of his Northern People's Party, which opposes “the centralism of Rome and the centralism of Brussels”.
The second reason lies in the South's political proposal he calls the North, which has embraced autonomism. «It won't be easy – admitted the former Keeper of the Seals – to say that we ally ourselves with a Sicilian party, but we believe it and, paraphrasing Manzoni, we say “this marriage has to be done”. I say to disappointed Northern League supporters that the word North is only in our symbol, so let them throw their hearts over the obstacle.” When asked whether Bossi's explicit support will be sought, De Luca responded by recalling that he had met Bossi in Gemonio last September 22nd: «I will try to visit him again». Castelli instead observed that «Bossi is a senator of the Prime Minister Salvini League, but the fact that the word North is evoked in our symbol will please him. I will ask him for the vote, then there is the secret of the ballot box.”