The League’s electoral failure leaves its historic leader Umberto Bossi out of Parliament.

Italian nationalist politician Umberto Bossi has been left out of Parliament for the first time in 35 years, after the party he founded, the League, suffered a sharp electoral setback in the region of Lombardy, for which he was running.

Bossi founded at the end of the 1980s the Northern League, an alliance of pro-independence movements in the northern part of Italy with which he managed to achieve national relevance and even enter the government, under Silvio Berlusconi.

A corruption scandal forced him to resign a decade ago, which opened the way to a new stage commanded by Matteo Salvini in which the League left behind its surname ‘North’ to address all of Italy and gain weight at the national level, managing to enter several governments.

Bossi, although relegated, still remains as honorary leader and was on the party lists in the Lombardy region, but data from the Interior Ministry confirm that he will not have any seats for the first time in 35 years. The League has been overtaken in some of its strongholds by Brothers of Italy, which now aspires to head the Government with Giorgia Meloni.

Bossi has assured in declarations to the AdnKronos agency that he is “happy”, because in reality he did not want to run but did so out of “respect” for the militancy. However, he has urged his party to take into account the “clear and unequivocal” message given by the voters.

Salvini, for his part, has announced that he will propose that his mentor be named senator for life, as “just recognition” for his service to the country. Forza Italia, Berlusconi’s party, is not opposed to this symbolic designation.