"Schifani should resign," the attack from the former ally. But Sammartino and the autonomists defend the governor.

«Schifani should resign». The torpedo does not come from the broad and enemy field, but from what was once an ally, although the relationship between Manlio Messina and the governor has always been rather tense. The former deputy group leader in the Chamber of Brothers of Italy, a group from which he left in protest, did not mince words in light of the No result: «The Sicilian data is particularly significant – he said - In Palermo, where the No reached 70%, right in the city of the president of the Region, this result takes on an even deeper political value. It is a signal that seriously questions the stability of the current regional government. In the face of such a clear message from the citizens – he added - an act of responsibility is necessary. Resignation is not an extreme gesture, but a necessary choice to restore credibility to the institutions and allow the center-right and Sicily to open a new political phase».

But within a few minutes, allies came to the defense of Palazzo d'Orleans, from where, in the meantime, a note was released inviting to avoid «political coercion» regarding the vote, which was, rather, the result of a «campaign in which the reasons for the No often relied on simplified arguments, but effective on an emotional level».

However, as mentioned, allies openly rallied to defend Schifani. For the vice president of the Region, Luca Sammartino, «the referendum vote – he said - will certainly not undermine the important work that the Schifani government has been carrying out in these years. The structural data of the Region, compared to 2022, are evident to all: we have an investment plan that, thanks to the national government, has opened hundreds of construction sites, and moreover we have overcome and managed the most difficult emergencies, from climate change to drought».

And on the side of the governor, the men of Raffaele Lombardo also came to his defense: «Asking for the resignation of President Schifani – said the Mpa bigwig, Fabio Mancuso - seems unfair to me. Confusing the referendum vote with the political vote means not respecting the electorate, in this case the center-right».