Political localism and national identity in Italy: The case of regional leagues

Regional leagues in Italy display a rather ambivalent image. On the one hand, they are clear expressions of discontent with relation to the inefficient and impersonal centralized political system. On the other hand, they also express xenophobic prejudices against the Southerners and the new immigrants. The growth of the Lombardian League is a good illustration of these ambivalent and dangerous tendencies.