BOLZANO. “By Christmas we hope to have a candidate for mayor.” It was the centre-right’s announcement after negotiations (the official ones) had just started. But the deadline passes. In between there were uncertainties about the date of the vote and the limit to the third term, the judicial inquiry, the Budget in Parliament.
The deadline moves to the first days of January for coalition and program, then we can talk about a candidate for mayor. Whether it will be from the political area or an outsider is still a puzzle, and a dividing factor within an alliance that must be built. The risk that some of the people at the table will slip away is still high. And so the orderly agenda outlined by Alessandro Urzì and Marco Galateo of Fratelli d’Italia, with the agreement on the perimeter of the coalition at the top of the priorities, already prefigures a constraint for all the forces that will join. Also with respect to the choice of mayoral candidate.
The coalition to be defined
Today Urzì announces that «at the beginning of the year I will be able to start a series of relationships in the area», with the party and above all with the centre-right actors. «If there is no coalition, I struggle to talk about the program. Multiple scenarios are possible. FdI is working on a unified, broad coalition, maintaining the center-right area”, explains Galateo.
Urzì claims the “winning formula exportable to Bolzano”, the majority with Lega and Civica. It is a clear invitation addressed to Angelo Gennaccaro (I am with Bolzano/Civica) and one can read the doubts on the right: that a “great center” will be born, that Gennaccaro can look towards the center-left or (the most accredited hypothesis) that the its list presents itself alone in the first round, on May 4, to maximize the result. And if FdI’s agreement with the League does not appear to be in question, whose secretary Paolo Zenorini believes it is «positive that we continue to collaborate, that we look into the program together”, the secretary of the Democratic Party took care of putting the bug in the ear of the leaders of the centre-right.
«From Forza Italia to Rifondazione, I talk to everyone», said Carlo Bettio. Forzista commissioner Matteo Gazzini responds like this: «Politics is dialogue and we are open to listening to everyone, then our values and principles are referred to the center-right. We don’t compromise ourselves just to beat someone else.” Some members were offended. «In Laives – continues Gazzini – everyone put in a great effort. Today, after 15 years, FI has its own councilor and we have received more votes than the League. And Laives was a Northern League stronghold.” But the centre-right agreement has not yet been signed. Therefore Urzì calls: «With FI there is a relationship of indissoluble collaboration. The PD’s advances are useless.”
The names going around
The person who would like to see clearly about the mayoral candidate is Civica per Bolzano. «We will be with the centre-right, provided that quality and efficiency are expressed», stated Roberto Zanin, «It is not at all easy to find professionals and entrepreneurs who leave everything for five years. Much will depend on the debate that will develop and on the person who will express it.” There is a rumor in Roman circles that FdI is considering a party candidacy. Urzì instead guarantees that «it will be important to intercept a broad electorate, including the undecided and those who do not recognize themselves as part of the coalition». However, it seems that the parties are considering around ten names. Those of the FdI group leaders are traveling around the city: Alessandro Forest in the municipal council, Anna Scarafoni in the provincial council. Both say they were unaware of the decisions.
«At the time – declares Forest – I was asked if I was available and I said yes. Today I would say: let’s talk about it. What happened with the maxi investigation surprised everyone, and Anna Scarafoni and I do politics for passion, certainly not for money. I don’t dirty my passion with these things.”
They are both connoted to the right. Zanin observes that «in FdI there are many different values and if those, legitimate, very distant from us, prevail, then we will make an evaluation». What is certain is that in FdI the hypothesis of civic leader Claudio Corrarati does not convince everyone: those who have brought grist to the mill of the right would not want to see themselves overtaken by those who in the past were considered close to the centre-left. Galateo: «Corrarati is a very respectable name who enjoys our respect, but it all depends on what the coalition will be».