Veneto Elections, Forza Italia Launches Flavio Tosi's Candidacy. Salvini's Reaction

Venice, 13 May 2025 – The post-Zaia era has officially begun even if we are waiting for the outgoing governor to set the date of the elections for the renewal of the Veneto regional council.

In the center-right, what is monopolizing the debate at this stage is mostly the race to understand what Zaia will do in the near future.

This morning, Lega secretary Matteo Salvini , in Verona as Minister of Infrastructure to participate in the Automotive Dealer Day, ensured that the president will continue to give his contribution to the Veneto region.

"Veneto - said Salvini - votes together with Marche, Campagna, Puglia and Tuscany, so I think that all the parties of the coalition will be able to express their potential".

A message also addressed to the allies of Forza Italia , who, together with the deputy prime minister Tajani, have in recent hours supported the candidacy of Flavio Tosi .

On the modality of Luca Zaia's participation in the next regional elections in Veneto, Salvini recalled that "he is the most loved and appreciated governor , and he will surely continue to make his availability and his talent available to the Venetians with the League in the next elections. However, we must talk about what to do, because Veneto is much more advanced than other regions, but we have many open dossiers, so more than names, projects, so that Veneto continues to remain an excellence", he added.

For the next elections in Veneto "I respect the requests of others, but obviously Veneto is a land of autonomy, a land of good governance, a land of work, a land of identity, a land of language and culture, and therefore fortunately the good governance of the League is rooted in hundreds of municipalities, and I am sure that the solution will be found with everyone's agreement", he added. "We are proud - he continued - of what the League, Zaia and the center-right have done for Veneto and for the Venetians in these years. A winning team does not change: we are growing, many mayors and many local administrators are entering. I hear from Luca Zaia every week, I will see him this week, we have clear ideas, we have women and men to offer to the center-right - he concluded - to continue this good work".

The person directly concerned, when journalists asked him if he will be a minister or if he will run for the presidency of CONI or for mayor of Venice , replied dryly. "I am not eligible for re-election" in the next regional elections, therefore "the political choice of the next candidate for the presidency of the Veneto Region has nothing to do with what I will do in the future".

Addressing reporters, Zaia went even further. "Please, spare yourselves malicious comparisons," Zaia urged reporters.

"It's true that they nominated me for everything that comes along, but today we're at the level of warming up on the sidelines. I don't know anything. We'll see in the future" he concluded.