The Northern League in the ‘Red Belt’ of Italy

In recent years the Northern League has begun to acquire growing support in the regions of Central Italy (the so-called Red Belt). With the principle objective of clarifying the reasons for the League’s expansion here, an investigation was undertaken to assess the hypothesis that growing concern generated by the phenomenon of immigration, as well as the inability of the red sub-culture to supply adequate responses to the demands of the peripheral territory, have given the League greater chances for success. In this way I proceed to a quantitative analysis aimed at reconstructing the electoral evolution of the League and at identifying its strongholds within the Red Belt; the analysis is enriched by in-depth interviews with national and provincial secretaries from the party. Results confirm the hypothesis and highlight the importance of a third aspect: the League’s constant effort to put down territorial roots.