Forza Italia, a new coup in the regional councilor market: Cesana joins. And the party is now considering a reshuffle.

Milan, July 26, 2025 – And four . After Ivan Rota, Giuseppe Licata, and Jacopo Dozio, Marisa Cesana , regional councilor elected in 2023 with Lombardia Ideale, governor Attilio Fontana's list, has also decided to join Forza Italia .

The Lombardy coordinator of Forza Italia, Alessandro Sorte, announced the news, emphasizing the party's influence in the Pirellone Chamber: " Forza Italia's growth in Lombardy continues . Our group in the Pirellone is further strengthened and can now count on ten councilors, four more than at the time of the elections. In the coming weeks, there will be further significant additions."

And it appears this will once again involve a transfer of councilors who are already in the majority , just like Cesana and, before him, Dozio, also from Lombardia Ideale. Rota was instead elected from Lombardia Migliore (the movement created by Letizia Moratti for the last regional elections, which, mind you, yesterday voted on the budget adjustment together with the center-right), while Licata was elected from Italia Viva. "We are continuing to work on the ground to build a strong team capable of facing all the challenges that await us. The party is growing , with around 24,000 members, we have opened new branches across the country, and in the European elections we almost reached 10%," remarks Sorte.

Letizia Moratti : "I would like to express my congratulations and a sincere welcome to Councilor Cesana. Her election is a clear sign of confidence in our political project, founded on European, reformist, and liberal values," said the MEP and president of Forza Italia's national consultation.

The other side of the coin is Lombardia Ideale : in the last regional elections, Fontana's list elected five councilors, now only three remain. And rumors are circulating of another, imminent departure. Some point out that Fontana's rejection of a third term and the resulting impossibility of a re-election are playing a role in these departures. What is certain is that Forza Italia is increasingly determined to demand a reshuffle at Lombardia Ideale's expense : today, the Forza Italia party, for 10 councilors, nominates two assessors, one undersecretary, and is not represented in the Office of the President of the Council. The governor's list, for 3 councilors, can count on one assessor (Giorgio Maione) and one representative in the Office of the President (Giacomo Cosentino).

But some point out that Guido Bertolaso, councilor for welfare, also shares Fontana's position. Hence the issue of a reshuffle . It's unlikely to be brought up in the coming days, but it seems likely to happen in the fall , perhaps coinciding with the election of the new committee chairs. "I'll talk to Fontana about it," Sorte says when asked. "We respect the governor; he's doing an excellent job. We'll talk to him about the future of the Region; our group has almost doubled in size since the beginning of the legislature."