‘We’re not Catalonia’: Italy’s separatists moves toward autonomy

As nervous investors retreat from Catalonia, afraid the wealthy region may secede from Spain, another European region whose politicians once campaigned for independence is looking to attract some of them — by talking of autonomy, not secession.

The Italian region of Lombardy, the country’s industrial engine and home to its financial capital Milan, is holding a referendum on Sunday for more autonomy, an outcome its once-proudly secessionist leader hopes will lure more investment.

That could come at the expense of Catalonia, which is a rival to Lombardy in the race to attract employers fleeing another painful European divorce, Brexit. The two regions are competing to host Europe’s drugs regulator which must leave the UK and find a new home inside the European Union.

We are not Catalonia,” said Lombardy President Roberto Maroni.

We remain inside the Italian nation with more autonomy while Catalonia wants to become the 29th state of the European Union. We, no. Not for now.”

He speaks of Catalonia as a competitor in some respects but says he is not deliberately courting its firms. 

We are not cheering because firms are fleeing Catalonia. We will see what happens but I haven’t had any requests yet from Catalan firms.

Maroni is a leading member of Lega Nord, which began in the 1990s to campaign for an independent state of Padania, stretching across Italy’s north, roughly following the Po river from around Lombardy in the west to Venice in the east.

Lega Nord no longer actively campaigns for secession but as the ruling party in Lombardy and in the Veneto region around Venice, it is holding referendums in both for greater autonomy, including a better financial deal from the central government.

Reuters