TRANSFORMATION OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF «LA LEGA» POLITICAL PARTY IN ITALY AFTER 2013

Abstract

In today’s realities, right-wing parties across Europe are rapidly gaining strength, attracting the special attention of researchers. In the Italian context, the right-wing «League» party is of interest, which in almost 10 years has been able to turn from disparate movements into one of the flagships of the right-wing coalition. The question of the reasons for such popularity is relevant both for Italy and for the whole of Europe, since the «League» is part of the current government, and its rating remains at a high level. The purpose of the article is to trace the evolution of the party management system, the formation of which occurred in 2013. It seems appropriate to consider the process of its formation under the leadership of Umberto Bossi; to analyze the structure of the «League» and the results of the 2018 elections in order to understand how successful the changes made by Matteo Salvini were. Following the evolution of the «League», we can conclude that the transformation of the management system occurred in response to the crisis of 2012, which undermined the trust of the electorate and destroyed the main system links of the party itself. There was a need to change not only communication, but also the organizational structure. As a result, a vertical structure was rebuilt, where de facto power is concentrated in the hands of the Federal Secretary, the position occupied by Matteo Salvini. The strategy was adjusted, the rhetoric softened, the positioning of the party and party logos changed, which allowed expanding the former party base and electorate. At the same time, the «League» was able to preserve its historical roots: the protection of traditional values and Italian identity.

Keywords

• league
• northern league
• political party
• matteo salvini
• italy