A roar of applause welcomed the proclamation of Matteo Salvini, who was reconfirmed at the helm of the League with a solid 76% of the vote at the party congress in Milan. The Deputy Prime Minister garnered 465 votes out of the 611 voting delegates, clearly defeating his challenger Massimo Garavaglia, who stopped at 24% with 146 preferences. The pre-congress tensions melted away in a long embrace between the two contenders on stage, sealing the unity of a party preparing to face new institutional challenges together. Freshly re-elected, Salvini immediately charted the course, issuing an unmistakable warning to his government allies. Claiming the loyalty demonstrated over the years by the longest-lasting executive in the history of the Republic, the secretary warned: "I will no longer tolerate the League being treated as a second-class ally in the Regions governed by the center-right. We demand respect, because the numbers speak for themselves, and they will never stop us." The Northern League leader looks to the future expressing absolute optimism, confident that the coalition will win the next elections and that his faction will establish itself as at least the second-largest party behind Brothers of Italy. The most explosive part of his speech, however, concerned foreign policy. Strongly legitimized by the congress, Salvini announced a change of pace to be brought to the Council of Ministers regarding Ukraine: "After four years of conflict, 90 billion euros, and countless military aid packages, it is time to ask ourselves whether sending more weapons is still the right path. Today, in 2026, wars are ended at diplomatic tables." It was a firm stance that immediately triggered a reaction from the opposition, prompting Action party leader Carlo Calenda to issue an ultimatum to the majority: "You have to choose: either you drop Kyiv, or you drop Salvini."