Emiliano Abramo (of Sant’Egidio) is the candidate for the role of mayor – Corriere.it

Catania once again becomes a national political laboratory. Until next time administrative elections, the city at the foot of Etna will be the most populous municipality where people will vote. This is a challenge that has a clear political value.

After the choice to reapply by Enzo Biancothe longest-serving mayor in the modern history of Catania, in the field with transversal civic lists, the centre-left instead took the field with the official candidacy of Emilian Abrahamexponent of Community of Sant’Egidio.

The name of Abraham the result of an agreement found between Pd and M5S. And this is a significant novelty, since it must be remembered that after the split between Pd and Cinque Stelle in the national and regional elections in Sicily (the agreement already sanctioned by the vote of the primaries that had seen Caterina Chinnici affirm herself was sensationally canceled by Conte), the spaces for a mending had clearly been reduced.

The regional secretary of the Pd, Anthony Barbagallowho was burned by the break desired by Conte (with the consequent triumph of the center-right led by Schifani and the flop of the candidates for the region of the Democrats and the Grillini), maintained a dialogue with the regional leaders of the Five Stars.

From what transpires the alliance between Pd and M5S was sanctioned with the placet of Giuseppe Conte. And it does not appear accidental that this agreement came after the change of national secretariat in the Pd.

The Catania affair also has national repercussions for the centre-right, as it is ongoing a real test of strength in the coalition regarding the Etna administrations. From what has been learned, in the center-right there is a clear divergence between the leaders of FdI who would like to have the mayor And Salvini’s League which instead aims to have the first Northern League mayor of a metropolis in southern Italy. Salvini aims up Valeria Sudano, supported by the vice president of the Region Sammartino (a former autonomist from Lombardy, who then passed through the Renzian Democratic Party to then return to the center-right at the Lega level). In this scenario, in a recent national summit, FdI made it clear to the allies that in the city under the volcano after the union of Salvo Pogliese (current parliamentarian in Giorgia Meloni’s party), interrupted after his forfeiture due to the Severino law, no there is no doubt that it is up to the right to indicate the new candidate. The Northern League Valeria Sudano is already on the field, and has also cleverly exploited the differences between the currents of FdI (the most voted party in Catania) who have not yet expressed a single indication of a candidate for mayor.

In this complex context there are other crucial political figures. Primarily Raphael Lombard, definitively acquitted (after 12 years) of the accusations of external competition in the mafia association, which is able with the strength of the autonomist lists to affect the victory. He has categorically denied his candidacy but will have weight in the political match. The former president of the Region will also play a role Total Cuffaro, which, although partly opposed by the center-right, has already shown its strength in the municipal elections of Palermo and in the regional elections. And in Catania he has been in dialogue with Enzo Bianco for some time. White also dialogues with the movement of Cateno DeLuca, which in Catania has already had the support of important exponents of the historical left. ‘U sinnicu – as they call him under the volcano – strong in his popularity in the past was able several times to snatch the municipality from the center-right, even when Berlusconi was at the peak of his consents.

Catania is a city full of contradictions, with the political and public system in crisis. A city without a mayor, with the municipal budget in disarray. A reality that in the private sector, despite the difficulties of the last period, has the most important companies in the South of Italy, and there are multinationals that compete at an international level (from the microelectronics pole to biotech, to the most innovative photovoltaic industry in the world as pointed out by the New York Times). A metropolis that has within it the most advanced and poorest areas of Sicily. And very populous suburbs in decay. The new archbishop of Catania, Luigi Renna, strongly criticized the political ruling classes of the city, spoke of politicians who have failed. And he added that competent, free and non-other-directed people are needed who give a break with the past.