News
New autonomist, centre-right government in Aosta Valley agreed
Two autonomist centre-right parties, Union Valdôotaine (UV) and Stella Alpina (SA), have agreed on government formation in the Aosta Valley, a partially self-governing territory in northwestern Italy. The new government has the support of 18 out of 35 AMs in the Council of the Valley, and will be made up of eight ministries (five under control of UV and three of SA). Former president Augusto Rollandin (UV) has been re-elected to the post.
The opposition will be led by the Union Valdôtine Progressiste (UVP), a left-of-center splinter party from UV. Other parties in opposition will be ALPE, Democratic Party and Movement 5 Stars.
In his speech as re-elected president, Rollandin has said that the Aosta Valley is suffering as a consequence of the economic crisis that hits Italy and the whole of Europe since 2008. He has argued that, in spite of difficult times to come, the new government will help Aostans to "continue to exist" as an "autonomous region and as a community" through the consolidation of former social gains so that the "quality of life" in Aosta can be guaranteed.
Rollandin has pointed out that the Aosta Valley is now economically better off than Italy: the fall of Aostan GDP (1.8%) is less than the fall of Italian GDP (2.4%) and unemployment in Aosta is 7.1%, while in Italy is is 10.1%. Rollandin has admitted that spending power in the Aosta Valley has fallen by 35% since 2008, but he has blamed an "irrational" economic policy by the Italian government for this. He has also critised re-centralizing efforts by Rome.
The re-elected leader has promised to "reinforce" the Valley's Statute of Autonomy during this term in order to strengthen the relationship between the Council of the Valley and the Italian government on an equal footing. He has also vowed to foster federalism in Italy and a Alpine macroregion at the European level.
On the other hand, Rollandin has announced that his government will continue to pay "the utmost attention" to the French language (which is official in Aosta alongside Italian) and to Francophonie. Similarly, he has said that Francoprovençal and Walser (own languages of the Aosta Valley) will be of "relevance" in "cultural policies".
Further information: