We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it: the politicization of differentiated autonomy from 2016 to 2024 in Italy

Differentiated autonomy enables ordinary regions to negotiate the terms and conditions of self-governance with the national government across 23 areas of public policy. Under the Meloni administration, a new law–commonly known as the ‘Calderoli law’–was introduced to regulate the process for obtaining such autonomy. This law was passed in the summer of 2024, but by the end of the year, the Constitutional Court had declared parts of it unconstitutional. Additionally, the Court rejected the opposition parties’ application for the holding of a repeal referendum, despite their successful collection of a substantial number of citizen signatures supporting the initiative. However, the history of differentiated autonomy is far more complex than it might initially seem. This article examines the politicization of differentiated autonomy from the perspective of Italy’s five main political parties from 2016 to 2024. Based on an analysis of election manifestos and social media posts, the findings reveal how the issue became politicized under the Meloni government and how political debate grew increasingly polarized. Moreover, the research highlights how the positions of national and regional leaders on the matter have evolved over time.