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| Movement for the Autonomies | |
|---|---|
| Name | Movement for the Autonomies |
| Native name | Movimento per le Autonomie |
| Leader | Raffaele Lombardo |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Dissolved | 2017 (merged) |
| Headquarters | Palermo, Sicily |
| Ideology | Regionalism, Christian democracy, Conservatism |
| Position | Centre-right |
| Country | Italy |
Movement for the Autonomies
The Movement for the Autonomies was an Italian regionalist political party founded in 2005 and based in Sicily. It promoted increased regional self-government for Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, and other regions, engaging with national actors such as Forza Italia, The People of Freedom, Northern League and institutions including the Italian Parliament and the European Parliament. The party's founder and most prominent figure was Raffaele Lombardo, who served as President of Sicily and linked the movement to figures like Marcello Dell'Utri, Silvio Berlusconi, Gianfranco Fini and regional leaders across Italy.
The party emerged from regional currents including the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats parliamentary groups and the Sicilian Action Party, with antecedents in movements supported by Raffaele Lombardo, Salvatore Cuffaro, Giuseppe Pitrè and activists from the Christian Democracy tradition. In the 2006 general election of 2006 it contested seats allied with House of Freedoms components, later becoming part of coalitions with The People of Freedom and forming electoral agreements with Union of the Centre and the regional lists that contested the 2008 regional election. The Movement's trajectory intersected with national events such as the rise of The People of Freedom and the split leading to Forza Italia re-foundation, as well as the transformation of regional politics after the 2008 financial crisis and the 2009 European elections.
The Movement combined regionalism for Sicily, autonomism for Trentino, and elements of Christian democracy found in groups like the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats, advocating fiscal federalism similar to proposals from the Northern League while distinguishing itself from separatist projects such as those historically associated with the Sicilian Independence Movement. It emphasized protections of Italian Constitution-based regional statutes, engaged with legal frameworks like the Italian Constitution Title V, and promoted policies touching European Union cohesion funds, relations with the European Commission, and the use of instruments from the Eurostat framework. Its program referenced social welfare positions akin to centre-left welfare safeguards and allied with centre-right tax and deregulation measures seen in Forza Italia proposals.
The Movement's internal organization reflected typical party organs: a national secretary, a president, regional secretaries especially in Sicily, provincial committees in cities like Palermo, Catania, Messina and local branches in municipalities including Agrigento, Enna, Trapani and Ragusa. It maintained parliamentary groups in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate and formed delegations to the European Parliament working alongside MEPs from parties such as Union for a Europe of the Nations and European Conservatives and Reformists Party. The Movement engaged in policy research with think tanks and academic partners at institutions such as the University of Palermo, University of Catania and the Luigi Sturzo Institute.
Electoral results for regional and national contests saw the Movement achieving its strongest support in Sicily where Raffaele Lombardo won the presidency in the 2008 election; the party also elected deputies and senators in the 2008 general election and secured representation in the European Parliament elections through coalitions with The People of Freedom in 2009. Vote shares varied across regions: modest results in Calabria, Campania and Puglia contrasted with stronger showings in provinces like Caltanissetta. Over time the Movement's vote declined as national realignments favored parties such as Democratic Party, Five Star Movement, and renewed Forza Italia while northern autonomist competition from Lega Nord intensified.
The Movement formed centre-right alliances with Forza Italia, The People of Freedom, Union of the Centre and engaged with figures including Silvio Berlusconi, Gianfranco Fini and Angelino Alfano. Locally it cooperated with the Sicilian Regional Assembly groups from the Sicilian Action Party and had tactical agreements with civic lists and personalities such as Leoluca Orlando in municipal contests. At the European level it aligned with groups like European Conservatives and Reformists and maintained negotiations with parties active in Southern Italy regional politics, occasionally entering ad hoc pacts with centrist formations stemming from the collapse of the House of Freedoms.
Policy proposals focused on enhanced fiscal autonomy for Sicily, revision of the Ordinary Statute of Sicily, and devolution of competencies in areas such as local infrastructure, port authorities in Palermo and Genoa, and administration of EU cohesion funds for regions including Sicily and Sardinia. The Movement advocated reform of the Italian tax system to increase regional retention of tax revenues, administrative decentralization consistent with Title V of the Italian Constitution, and measures to strengthen regional transport networks connecting hubs like Catania–Fontanarossa Airport and the Port of Palermo. It proposed negotiating special statutes similar to those enjoyed by Autonomous Region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Aosta Valley.
Prominent figures included founder Raffaele Lombardo, regional president Salvatore Cuffaro-aligned politicians, deputies who served in the Chamber, senators in the Senate, and MEPs who sat with groups such as Union for a Europe of the Nations. Other associated personalities came from the ranks of the Sicilian Action Party, former members of Christian Democracy, and regional administrators from provinces like Trapani and Messina, including mayors and provincial presidents who participated in coalitions with national leaders like Silvio Berlusconi and Gianfranco Fini.