Referendum on Naples autonomy- mayor

(ANSA) - Naples, February 18 - Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris said Monday that a referendum will be held to vote on whether the southern city should have more autonomy. "By the end of the year we'll have a referendum for the total autonomy of the city of Naples," de Magistris said via Facebook.
    "In this way we'll have more economic resources, fewer financial limitations, more wealth, more development, less inequality. "Successively we'll try to have a referendum for the differentiated autonomy of the whole of the south of Italy, if the other peoples of the south want it". Vincenzo De Luca, the governor of Campania, the region Naples belongs to, on Friday wrote to Premier Giuseppe Conte to request autonomy for the southern region after applications from the northern regions of Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna.
    Conte's government is examining legislation for greater autonomy for those three regions.
    Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini is said to be ready to support the three regions' bids for greater autonomy in the cabinet, but his coalition partners in the 5-Star Movement (M5S) are reportedly concerned about the danger this would create "top flight and second-tier citizens".
    Autonomy Minister Erika Stefani, a League member, said the M5S should drop its reservations.
    "Autonomy is in the contract of government and it necessary to be coherent," Stefani said.
    "If there is an agreement (for autonomy) signed by the premier, how can it be possible to amend it and force one of the parties to change the contract?".