welcome to sophie and co i'm so if he were not say well they cut a line crisis headlines a similar stories breaking out initially what the country's northern regions gearing up for a wide autonomy referendum. vote succeeded and how will rome deal with the results but those salvini leader of italy's northern league party is my guest today. resort to desperate measures to stay very old migrant crisis is voters lose confidence in the central government is this some regions now heading to the polls to demand more autonomy but how would a vote be hundred in light of the violence. what's with the rise of new political movements bring to the country and to change in italy starts reform in europe. microcell veiny welcome to the show it's great to have you on our program today mr

selvey the italian regions of bardia and veneto are going to have a referendum on greater autonomy from the central government on october twenty second you say they have chosen a peaceful path towards that but so that the people in catalonia look what happened there how can you be sure that there will be no rubber bullets no tear gas in milan and venice when the day of the vote comes. first of all thank you for having me know about the upcoming referendums the are fundamentally different from the one in catalonia referendums in lombardy and then it all will be held based on mitali and constitution with the court and the italian government's approval the law enforcement will be helping us instead of forcing people out of the polling stations it's not independence we demand but actually wider autonomy so that regions can have over. over schools healthcare roads so that they can help the

disabled and i would trade funding to various other operations the goal is to reduce costs and spend money more efficiently which is not at all against the italian constitution so in spain there is conflict while in italy we have a peaceful process in line with the existing legislation so how will the vote change italy if people support greater autonomy well that actually make other regions follow suit and if every wagering votes for a fiscal independence where does that leave the country financially. we aren't asking to leave all the money in the regions as of now the government gets seventy billion euro as a year from lumber the end beneteau but this money doesn't come back to us we want the regions to be able to allocate some of this money to schools and health care we want less red tape when it comes to the central government we want less bureaucracy and fewer restrictions said by brussels we want to develop the southern part of the

country as well where we've had inefficient governance for over fifty years where there has been virtually no growth in terms of education health care and railways for many many years so devolution of power is an increasing regional funding would benefit both the northern and the southern parts of the country. didn't like the northern demand for special status fracturing italy are you afraid that you may start a disintegration process with this vote. no five out of twenty taliban regions already have a special status there are twenty regions in italy five of which have a special status and keeping ninety percent of the taxes they collect we want other regions if they so wish which is exactly why we need the referendums to find that out to be able to handle money and their local matters more efficiently themselves so we're not talking about some kind of strife or conflict we are talking about the things that are actually in the visit in our constitution. and the catalan example

to feel like it may scare rome into giving into northern demands. catalonia of course that alone is a different story when as many as two million people decide to vote you can't ignore the results of the referendum violence doesn't solve any problems i hope madrid and barcelona finally come to terms though it will be very hard to do the northern league party has embarked on a longer and even more complicated journey but the path we chose is undoubtedly safer and more peaceful at the same time. so tell me something why aren't the northern league and allies pursuing independence all the way through i mean isn't fiscal autonomy only house measure one sure there have the full right to make decisions yourself. yes this is exactly the reason why our party was established thirty years ago it was created to stand up for the regions and local communities

there was no european union thirty years ago and now i'm sitting here in strasbourg in its headquarters the e.u. is a problem not only for the northern regions of italy but for all european countries it is the european union that imposes sanctions on russia crippling our agricultural sector and robbing italy of seven billion euro is a year today we advocate the unity of italy but with autonomy for the regions and federalism we do so who first and foremost defend ourselves against the onslaught of the e.u. and multinational corporations which are simply seeking to annihilate us. what is it that i do not agree with when it comes to catalonia see many of those who are in favor of the independence of catalonia ones who remain in the european union they want to keep the euro and also the ones open their borders to migrants from north africa while this kind of independence independence with brussels in the driver's seat without cutting off the flow of migrants that decision would pose grave

problems to the also wish for it so he'll also sad that he don't want to blow up the euro at a referendum on abandoning it would be unconstitutional how does it go along with your earlier statement that hero is an experiment gone bad. i believe that one single currency for eighteen economies each different in its own way that just won't work in the long term but statistics here is more important than anything else look since the introduction of a common currency italy's debt has risen by nine hundred billion euros. six nobel prize winners are unanimous in saying that this experiment has failed and we should not go any further down this road yes we understand there is no way to hold a referendum on the euro right now but we are determined to become part of the government and that is why we invited economists to figure out what we should do

when the euro collapses since we should not rule out disposability so we should figure out what to do to prevent a total catastrophe so with anti european sentiment on the rise. in italy forty four percent would actually vote to leave the european union leaders of the union are talking about reform what kind of reform does the e.u. neat and will it ever happen. europe has to either change or cease to exist people who work in this building the headquarters should change the rules not the european union would have to work on fewer issues both with better results it should be paying more attention to protecting external borders fighting against terrorism curbing illegal immigration as well as harmonizing economic policies on the judicial system otherwise the europe we have today is doomed were transformed into a strange loose community of twenty seven countries with nothing in common this is the reason why the northern league if we come to power is ready to give the you one

last chance to become useful and beneficial the kind of union that was meant to be at its inception you had quarters is a place where you can find only people who are interested in business and don't care about values culture identity family or any existing differences between nations and cultures at all and again you're either changes or ceases to exist but i am an optimist so i hope that the situation will change. so what do you think without further integration wouldn't wouldn't be here a peon union actually lose its status its efficiency as an organization. or someone once said that the united europe came to life too quickly and was too big for countries which are now negotiating a session to the e.u. for example turkey i for one think it is sheer madness to see expansion of the e.u. by allowing turkey to join it's folly to try to incorporated in the system of european values and there are also those like iceland suspended their bids on the

other hand i personally think that we should slow down and review trade policies and alliance building including the military and strategic alliances that the us working on today and then should be put to financing the bodies that intervene in the domestic affairs of other countries and i mean the intervention in the situation in ukraine and crimea as this poorly corresponds with the principles of the e.u. which is supposed to be unbiased and objective in its decision making. so france and germany have been discussing that integration for the european union is the union in danger here are members going to drift away from each other. it is obvious that these days france and germany behave like they're the boss almost all agreements all directives are adopted only with france and germany's approval there is even an acronym for sovereign european countries like portugal italy greece and spain. the minutes of abbreviation evidently

german companies. and obedience satellites like northern european countries and the baltic states but the idea that we have here in italy we believe that enough is enough. these trade and bank agreements before this and it's all crazy is just as crazy as the attempts to interfere in what's happening outside the european union. here in strasbourg there is not a word about seven hundred people getting hurt as a result of the barcelona referendum in this building everybody is silent europe shaped by france and germany as ideas with their unchecked ambition to expand a europe like that has no future. so why don't you think that it's only fair that the two countries that are the strongest ones in europe that have the strongest economies are taking the lead and are giving themselves

a right to make decisions. well it's early remains europe second biggest manufacturing power the common currency was pushed by germany and germany is still the one laying down economic rules but in terms of manufacturing italy's still ahead of france so yes actually concerned about the agreements between france and germany that leave the rest of us out in the cold that is why i want the northern league win the elections and to come to power in italy so that we won't be obediently following france and germany orders with my coat on and medical american decisions on behalf of all twenty seven e.u. member states seeing how our last few governments voiced no protests that all the decisions in europe were made by france and germany alone the northern league would never allowed it if we win just like berlusconi who was head of government had the

courage to say no when the situation calls for it all right we're going to take a short break right now and when we're back we'll continue discussing tough issues italy has to deal with such as day influx of refugees and devastating anti-rational sanctions stay with us. about your sudden passing i've only just learned. in taking your last.

year at all new it would i tell you i'm sorry. me i could so i write these last words in hopes to put to rest these things that i never got off my chest. i remember when we first met my life turned on each breath. but then my feelings started to change you talked about more like it was again still some more fun to feel those that didn't like to question our arc and i secretly promised to never be like it said one does not leave a funeral the same as one enters the mind it's consumed with death this one quite different i speak to you now because there are no other takers. to claim that mainstream media has met its make. los angeles the city of luxury and free but also an alarming number of people living in the streets. the simple fact in l.a.

says there's just not enough shelter even if people on the streets right now decided to come in there's nowhere to come in and it's been a struggle. to get this man from his own response to the problem and constructed dozens of tiny homes for people in need of shelter when you have nothing in order to go. you know having something like this may as well be a castle but do the earth or news except such to lucian a tiny house on a city parking space is not a solution you craft someone wanted touring the site otherwise it'll be a free for all the news there a better alternative to envy homelessness crisis. in case you're new to the game this is how it works not the economy is built around corporations corporations run washington washington controls the media the

media folks the voters elected the businessman to run this country business equals power. bust it's not business as usual it's business like it's never been done before. and we're back with leader of italy's northern league party discussing italy's political directors that made president global challenges welcome back mr seventy now while the french and dutch here are skeptics have been defeated by pro e.u. politicians in recent elections in germany not to mention the united kingdom they hear a skeptic forces are actually seeing more success do you see us skepticism prevailing

in the long term or is it on its way out. i meant this wolf that they will undoubtedly the results of recent elections are very important particularly the results of the german federal election that a lot of european media criticize so much and the outcome of the brics that referendum in great britain i would also add to that list the upcoming vote in austria scheduled for october fifteenth which is very soon to so-called euro skeptics allies of the northern league when i think everyone wants to change the current situation look lost and france and wilderness fail to claim victory in the netherlands but still millions of people voted for them and for change this is a clear signal to the united europe should get back to sorting out the issues of unemployment immigration and families otherwise the advance of so-called populists and euro skeptics will continue i don't consider myself a populist neither am i a racist euro skeptic but i'm a family man and i have common sense i just want more security more jobs for my

people and fewer migrants in my country so if europe doesn't change then the number of europeans voting against the so-called political correctness will rise there are millions of him already. you have been repeatedly calling on easing sanctions against russia sanctions have cost italy seven billion hero on up to two hundred thousand jobs there is also staunch opposition to sanctions in germany yet wessels is purse to standing keeping them in place how do you plan to push for sanctions to be dropped in this situation. the northern league has always voted against these economic sanctions as we think there is no sense in them a referendum took place in crimea and an absolute majority voted for becoming part of the russian federation i just cannot understand why the e.u. we decided to intervene not only our economic but also cultural ties to russia and italy used to have very close relations and we should get back to that today not

only in terms of business but also in terms of cultural ties and similarity of political positions this is why one of the priorities of our government would be to hold a vote against extending anti russian sanctions that unfortunately have been supported by all the same to the left of telling governments over all these recent years. so how are you going to make brussels lift them do you have any precise measures in your had that you want to push through. i mean for this we will need to introduce changes to the e.u. treaties the master treaty the schengen agreements the treaty of lisbon and the dublin regulation. we need to review and aim in peace treaties some of which there over twenty five years old the new treaties have to limit the use powers ensure border security and at the same time allow no interference when it comes to trade

agriculture and family matters since the european parliament now believes it has the right to define what family means and what family doesn't mean. if the northern league wins who will politely but firmly say we would need to review with the existing treaties that limit e.u. powers and provide funding to the youth to make it efficient leaving issues like trade with agriculture with schools and family in the hands of national governments . that's very ambitious program because right now what we have is a talent businessman in tallinn politicians a talent diplomats and leaders have publicly set sanctions against russia should be dropped but they still aren't dropped and italy ends up voting for their renewal are italian statements hollow just posturing to have peace in moscow. i know it's a very ambitious program but i'm optimistic. back when i just headed up the party

we only have three percent of the votes and now we have fifteen percent. i know that many tali and politicians and businessmen make a lot of promises and then fail or don't want to fulfill them. or maybe they're scared maybe it's because they have vested interests of the room but i'm convinced we will be able to resolve the issue of sanctions against russia and bring the european treaties under review if we get voter support. we will be able to restore good economic ties with russia in change if not all then some of the european post rules that were a mistake. in the world. now you were very positive about donald trump's coming in power saying that this would benefit both europe and italy are you still hopeful for that yourself i was happy to hear trump was elected president unlike many politicians and report is i read his political program from cover to cover and agree with many things in it one of his presidency got off to a rocky start his enemies both inside and outside his party some of his initiatives

like the tax reform are perfectly consistent with our party's goals from proposals to have a twenty percent flat tax rate for businesses and households and having looked into it we proposed to make it fifteen percent of them as for foreign policy in my humble opinion his advisors were really far from the best so it will be quite a challenge for him in any case i stand by my words that the world is much better off with trump as u.s. president than it would have been with hillary clinton. your program includes tough anti migrant measures basically kicking them out of italy so where will they go are you going to throw them into the sea. we want to adopt the same migration laws that other european countries and other countries around the world the italian government does take the necessary steps over do as they may be entering into

agreements with libya and tunisia to secure its borders and try to monitor the matters concerning transporting migrants the goal is not to divide the migrants evenly between italy and other european states but to take the money we now spend at home and efficiently spend it in africa instead we shouldn't have to block migrant boats drown them or bomb them or build border walls the goal is to prevent the influx of migrants by helping such countries as nigeria. and bangladesh that's where most of the migrants come to italy from help these countries develop their economy only a small part of migrants fled because of a more political refugees make up a mere ten percent of all the applicants the rest leave their countries for economic reasons but really if i recall correctly four million italians are living in poverty and four million italians are unemployed we simply cannot allow this number to grow because millions of desperate migrants arrive in our country it would be really much better to take all the money that is so inefficient is spent

in italy and europe today and invested in africa instead is it isn't giving money to libya and non-state militias to stop migration like italy does now in. prolonging the libyan an r.t.a. that cost this migration problem in the first place yet we've been calling for dialogue with both libyan government's for two years now because there really are at least two governments right now in libya with one hundred fifty tribes living there truth be told i don't really know how to spend our money there that's up to the italian government france and the european union to know we need to stabilize the situation in libya to prevent a new influx of migrants. trend is migrants from tunisia and coming to italy through sicily and sardinia if one country closes borders and doesn't let them in migrants will go by a different route through a different country the mortars need to be secured the use responsibility it has to

maintain a dialogue with the north african leaders and read no it's not doing enough in that respect so isn't italy and the e.u. in effect becoming victims of extortion and racketeering by hundred homes with guns if they're forcing you to pay to help the migrants no no no i don't think so oh no i don't think so despite the deal that the european union made with turkey will to stem migration cost it six billion euros really those who are wondering what is going on in libya though should know that the european union made a six billion euro deal early going to turkey to block the flow of migrants now since they decided pain turkey was the right thing to do i would say it will be equally sensible to invest this kind of money in libya if that's where it really goes so writers recently reported that a former mafia boss is leading

a group stopping migrants on the ground in libya quite successfully actually leading to a massive drop in arrivals this is a relief for the politicians but i mean is it worth empowering organized crime. i know won't we're talking about large scale migration here over three and a half years it's only admitted about seven hundred thousand people that's clearly benefits the mafia because migrants are spare workforce for organized crime forty percent of detainees in italian jails are non e.u. citizens so well one thing is for sure the more illegal migrants we have the more organized crime benefits from it there is no doubt about it the same as about the fact that the migrants have to work for a pittance so by dealing with the influx of migrants we also prevent the mafia from getting new slaves. so like you've said earlier you support aiding african

countries investing in their economy to help curb the migrant flow but how can you be sure the money invested in one go to way to waste to corruption and will actually improve this poor states economy. that's probably the most important issue there are some experts from north and central africa for their articles they urge donors to stop helping those countries stop giving them money because that money is being spent on political bribes instead of building new roads new schools or new hospitals. which is what i believe it's best and i mean my northern league party has some experience with this i believe it's best to provide funding to specific organizations schools and hospitals in those countries because it's true that people think they give money to help poor african children but that money ends up in the pockets of shady african politicians well it's vitally important thing to

really monitor where the money goes so that's a fair question i mean. all right mr selvin name good luck with everything thank you for this interview today i was talking to a leader of italy's northern league party discussing the country's northern region drive for a greater autonomy from rome and how this would affect the european union and that's it for this edition of so franco i'll see you next. here's what people have been saying about redacted in the navy seals exactly just full on awesome the only show i go out of my way to launch

a lot of the really packs a punch to sleep yampa is the john oliver of hearty americans do the same we are apparently better than booth. and see people you've never heard of love redacted tonight my president of the world bank so take. me seriously send us an e-mail. when almost seemed wrong but old clothes just don't call. me. yet to shape out just. to educate and indeed train because the trail. when so many find themselves worlds apart we choose to look for common ground.

i mean always gives yeah you know until you go into further also the you know mr wilson is going. to go in another of those other three that hinted to that the that in it too little you have. to go to war there will be a few words if you believe all views bush the glad i wish to god but not the number that the left in the other take a look at. feel to it all of my got up out of the local one down in washington of going to fade out be important to the three not a burden placed on rule of the earth around the truth of who in the movies too little is certain the few. who he had to.

become worthless. what politicians do something to. put themselves on the line to get accepted or rejected. so when you want to be president or injury. or somehow want to be rich. but you do like to be close to see what the full spectrum of all can people get. interested always in the waters of college. or should.

headlines. in syria. continue. on the program. there. are. hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets in a show of support for unity speculation the president. in a speech to parliament on tuesday. the u.s. president to you.