In a radical makeover, the League has dropped the word "Northern" from its name and is presenting itself as a national force, aggressively surfing a tide of anti-immigrant sentiment to vie for supremacy within its own center-right bloc. [...]
Founded in 1991 by Umberto Bossi, the League once campaigned vociferously for northern secession and used to denounce Italy's capital as "thieving Rome". Maps on its website jokingly referred to everything south of Rome as Africa. [...]
He has since rowed back on the euro pledge and has turned his focus onto immigration, tapping public angst over the arrival of more than 600,000 mainly African migrants in four years, mostly by boat from Libya. [...]
"A large part of the old guard which always supported the ideals of the north are now struggling to see themselves reflected in this new party," said Giovanni Fava, who was beaten by Salvini in the party's 2013 leadership battle.
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