# Legacoop advocacy and 140th anniversary celebrations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/legacoop-advocacy-for-the-italian-cooperative-model
> Updated: 2026-10-09T08:00:00.000Z. Sources: 15. Developments: 3.

Simone Gamberini, president of Legacoop, has advocated for the cooperative model as a strategic tool for addressing various socio-economic challenges across Italy. In September, Gamberini proposed the model as a solution to economic and social inequalities in Southern Italy, specifically in Puglia. He highlighted its potential to manage industrial crises, housing emergencies, and healthcare rights. He also cautioned that proposed reductions to Naspi unemployment benefit advances could hinder workers' ability to participate in company buyouts. By October, the focus expanded to the model’s role in value redistribution and social cohesion. During the ‘La Lombardia di Coop’ event in Milan, Gamberini emphasized how cooperatives foster innovation within agri-food supply chains and noted that approximately one-third of the population in Lombardy are members. To mark the 140th anniversary of Legacoop, the Biennale of the Cooperative Economy opened in Milan, drawing endorsements from high-level Italian leaders. President Sergio Mattarella described the cooperative enterprise as a vector of widespread benefits, stating its mutualistic model generates positive social, environmental, and civil effects that express the foundations of the Italian Constitution. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni characterized cooperation as a pillar of the Italian system that unites freedom of enterprise with equality, highlighting government support through the National Plan for the Social Economy. Additionally, Pope Leo XIV expressed appreciation for the movement’s service to the common good, encouraging collective enterprise that prioritizes human dignity and solidarity. During the Biennale, Gamberini proposed a new ‘Pact for Italy’ to unite institutions, businesses, and civil society to address the energy transition, housing, and healthcare. Labor leaders also participated in the dialogue; CGIL General Secretary Maurizio Landini called for the elimination of ‘pirate contracts’ to protect purchasing power, while Cisl General Secretary Daniela Fumarola advocated for pension indexing and tax relief on thirteenth-month salaries.

## Claims

- Simone Gamberini stated that the cooperative model acts as an economic infrastructure that rebalances society and redistributes added value. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The cooperative model redistributes value particularly within the agri-food and food supply chains. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Approximately one-third of the citizens in Lombardy are members of a cooperative. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Lombardy remains a central region for the Italian cooperative system with high cooperative density. (corroborated by 4 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-09: Legacoop Biennale in Milan focuses on social economy and labor pacts

During Legacoop’s 140th anniversary in Milan, Italian leaders and unions proposed a new economic pact focusing on social economy, wage protection, and generational renewal to drive national growth.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legacoop-biennale-opens-in-milan-to-mark-140-years-of-cooperative-economy

### 2026-10-03: Legacoop President highlights cooperative model's role in redistributing value

Legacoop President Simone Gamberini stated that the cooperative model redistributes added value and maintains social cohesion, particularly within Italy's agri-food sector and the Lombardy region.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legacoop-president-highlights-cooperative-models-role-in-redistributing-value

### 2026-09-20: Legacoop President proposes cooperative model for Southern Italy development

Legacoop President Simone Gamberini advocates for the cooperative model to combat inequality in Southern Italy and criticizes proposed cuts to Naspi unemployment benefits.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legacoop-president-proposes-cooperative-model-for-southern-italy-development

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Cite as: Legacoop advocacy and 140th anniversary celebrations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/legacoop-advocacy-for-the-italian-cooperative-model