The right-wing League party, will participate in a torchlit procession organised by centrist Azione leader Carlo Calenda to honour the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The rally is in Rome on Monday night.
League leader Matteo Salvini announced on Sunday that his party will take part in the Navalny rally on Monday evening. The right-wing political party was previously criticised for its sympathetic stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. Salvini also stressed the importance of Italy’s role in negotiating peace in Ukraine and Gaza.
Despite recent remarks by Calenda suggesting the League’s continued pro-Putin stance, Salvini affirmed the party’s attendance at the event. “Absolutely yes,” Salvini replied when asked if the League would join the torchlit procession at the Campidoglio. At an electoral event in Sardinia, he expressed hope for the year 2024 to mark the end of conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, and Israel and Palestine, stating, “War is always death, suffering, defeat, and therefore I count on Italy to be a protagonist of peace.”
Crippa says too early to blame Putin
Calenda, in an interview with Corriere della Sera, noted League No. 2 Andrea Crippa’s cautious remarks regarding blaming Putin for Navalny’s death, interpreting it as evidence of the party’s enduring pro-Putin sentiment. Salvini’s deputy, Crippa, had stated that it was premature to attribute Navalny’s death to Putin. Despite the League’s participation in the Campidoglio event, Calenda maintained his belief that the party is pro-Putin, albeit now less openly due to political considerations.
Calenda also mentioned awaiting a potential slander suit from the League for labeling it as pro-Putin. He recalled Salvini’s previous endorsement of Putin, referring to a statement where Salvini, wearing a t-shirt with Putin’s face, remarked that he would trade two Italian presidents for half of Putin.
Regarding the rally on Monday, Calenda emphasised the commemoration of Navalny as a “hero of liberty” who faced grave risks in returning to Russia. Russian authorities claim Navalny died of sudden death syndrome while on a walk outside his Siberian cell, despite surviving a poisoning attempt in 2020.
Calenda expressed concern over Navalny’s treatment and questioned the circumstances surrounding his death. He cited findings of bruises on his body and the lack of clarity regarding the cause of his cardiac arrest.
German tabloid Bild suggested Navalny’s possible death shortly before a potential release as part of a prisoner exchange involving the US, Russia, and Germany was suspicious.
