Split Italy

Italy united only fairly recently, the north and south have significant linguistic, economic, cultural and historical differences.

A linguistic continuum exists across the peninsula, with the north closer to french and the south having strong influences from Greek and Arabic. A Sicilian and Venetian may be unable to understand each other. Sardinian could be considered it's own language.

North Italy is wealthy and urbanized, the south is poorer and more rural.

North Italy was for long periods broken into many small states, republics and monarchies, long part of the Holy Roman empire and influenced by the germans and french. South Italy has more often been united, frequently under foreign rule.

The north south divide could be placed around Rome, and that city might well be independent.

Were there any historical ideas to split the nation, perhaps after one of the world wars or the monarchy referendum? Are there any plausible scenarios in the 20th century which could have given this result?

Where are borders and capitals likely? I'd imagine an independent papal state on the Tiber with Rome as capital, a state to the north with Milan as capital, and a state to the south including Sicily and Sardinia. The largest city in south Italy, and a historic capital, is Naples, but that city won't be very central.

Are San Marino and Malta more or less likely to retain their independence than OTL?

Federations or unitary states?

Are there likely names other than North and South Italy? The kingdom of Naples or Sicily, or the two or three Sicilies all make a certain amount of sense, but will irritate non-Neapolitans / Sicilians. Lombardy might make sense for the north.

OTL Italy is considered one of the 'Big 4' European nations, and is a fairly significant regional power for it's population, economy, military, and control of important straights. North Italy would inherit much of the population and economy, the south would retain influence over the straights. Would either be likely to be considered a 'Big 4'?
 
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A timeline I put very little thought into:

WW2 and aftermath go slightly different, most importantly Yugoslavia is much more obviously and earlier neutral or west leaning, and less communist. As a result the west doesn't see a strong united Italy as a bulwark against the USSR. The Allies also would like to punish the italians, and make future irridentist claims on France, Switzerland, Austria, Malta etc. less likely. The French Republic (maybe with help) occupies the north, the United Kingdom occupies the south. The Pope is given all of Rome with the requirement that an acceptable constitution be produced.

The Republic of Lombardy is created in the north with OTL italian borders except a part of Valle d'Aosta ceded to France, San Marino annexed, and Yugoslavia receiving slightly more of Trieste. The Republic of Lombardy, usually referred to as simply Lombardy, is a constitutional, democratic, unitary, representative, republic with influences from prior italian republics, the USA and the UK, but most similar to the OTL and TTL French 5th Republic. It has a capital in Milan, among the largest cities in Europe with a metropol of over 5 million. Lombardy has a population just over 35 million and a GDP around 1.2 trillion USD. The official language, of law, schooling etc. is standardized lombard italian, or just lombard.

The Kingdom of Naples is created in the south, with a border somewhat north of the old Kingdoms of Naples and the Two Sicilies, and includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Usually referred to as Naples, it is is a constitutional, democratic, federal kingdom with influences from prior italian states but most similar to the UK. Continental Naples is the largest subdivision, its capital and the capital of the nation as a whole is the city of Naples, metropolitan population of over 3 million. Sicily and Sardinia with their associated islands are the other two partially autonomous states in the federation. The Kingdom of Naples has a total population of just under 25 million, and a GDP around 0.6 trillion USD. The nation has 3 official languages, standardized neapolitan, sicilian, and sardinian.

Both states joined the European Coal and Steel Community in 1961, and have remained as it expanded and became the EU. They enjoy friendly relations with each other and most of their neighbours and the wider western world. They both use the Euro and have open borders and a defensive alliance. The sports rivalry between Lombardy and Naples is extreme, but usually not violent. Brain drain as neapolitan students and professionals move to the wealthier Lombard cities is an increasing problem with no easy solution.

Plausible? Anything terribly wrong?
 
Italy united only fairly recently, the north and south have significant linguistic, economic, cultural and historical differences.

This is not entirely true.
Difference were emphasized from late 60s from leftist scholars (for the most communists) that wanted strike the National Italian identity and the indipendence movement of XIX century that in their vision was bourgeois and monarchical.
Until late 60s the value of unified Italy was shared with pride from all Italians.



A Sicilian and Venetian may be unable to understand each other. Sardinian could be considered it's own language.
Nonsense.
All Italians speak Italian,barely none speak only dialect.
Anyway i'm sicilian and understand perfectly the comedies of Carlo Goldoni in Venetian dialect.

North Italy is wealthy and urbanized, the south is poorer and more rural.

Commonplaces!
Are poor district in north and wealthy zone in the south.
The situation is mixed.
Are there any plausible scenarios in the 20th century which could have given this result?

Barely none.
The only time was the civil war between the fascist puppet state of Hitler in north (RSI) and the Kingdom of Italy cobelligerant with Allied.
But unless you imagine a armistice with nazi German that leave the situation of Europe as in late 1944,is not possibility for a Italy divided.
 
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