M5s invents the third (civic) mandate. The former undersecretary Cancelleri wants to run for mayor in Catania

“I have never prayed for a candidacy. I pray to the saints”. Giancarlo Cancelleri, historic exponent of the Five Stars, said it when last June he gave up his candidacy (for the third time) for the presidency of the Sicilian Region. A choice dictated by common sense, as well as by a precise constraint: that of the two mandates. On which the M5s – on the precise indication of Beppe Grillo – did not intend to derogate. The decision taken by Giuseppe Conte, ob torto collo, cost the reconfirmation of numerous big names in the Movement: from Paola Taverna to Vito Crimi, passing through the former president of the Chamber Roberto Fico and the former Minister of Justice Alfonso Bonafede. Including Cancelleri, who after having spent three quarters of his political career in the Sicilian regional assembly, as a simple parliamentarian and as vice-president of the chamber, migrated to Rome – unelected – to enter the second Conte government.

It all seemed fixed. Peace to the soul of the “excluded”. And instead, after a few months, the third mandate could become topical again. Merit, or fault, of the surveyor Giancarlo, originally from Caltanissetta, who after spending a few months on the sidelines of politics (he was also undersecretary with Draghi), chose to burst onto the scene of the next administrative elections in Catania: “My candidacy is on the plate. Since I’ve lived in the city, it’s the people who ask me to apply”, confirmed the person concerned to ‘Livesicilia.it’. It will be true that his presence, on the slopes of Etna, has become indispensable; and that his origins from Caltanissetta do not bother the people of Catania, returning from a disastrous union (the former mayor, the new FdI senator Salvo Pogliese, resigned on the eve of the Politics after two suspensions for “peculation”).

But rather than worrying about external consensus, Cancelleri will have to explain to his party exponents how he will run as a candidate. The derogation that was not granted to him in June to present himself in the center-left regional primaries, and possibly challenge Schifani, should materialize next spring. Provided that the former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure chooses to continue with the 5 Star Movement. In the Municipalities, in fact, he resists the trick of the civic list, of the common good, of the shared vision. And even of the ‘strange famolo’: Cancelleri, incidentally, had been one of the main “openers” when Gianfranco Micciché, Forza Italia commissioner on the island, had hoped to re-propose the Draghi model in Sicily too.

The historic leader from Caltanissetta welcomed Grillo, in 2012, after crossing the Strait of Messina (today the relationship between the two appears to have deteriorated); he was twice in competition, first with Crocetta then with Musumeci, to become president of the Region; he held the second office of the oldest parliament in the world; he went through all the phases of the Movement, from Di Maio to Conte, remaining the most influential spokesman (due to detachment) even after moving to Rome, in 2019. It was precisely that transfer that cost him a very harsh attack from Dino Giarrusso, the former Hyena escaped from the Movement, which accused him of opportunism for having abandoned an elected office.

The rest is recent history: “Both Grillo and Conte – he said on June 30, at the press conference, announcing the step back – discussed for a long time because they probably thought I could be the best candidate. But when we started talking about ad personam rules, I believed it was no longer the time to move forward”. Cancelleri, unless there is a sudden change in the regulation, which does not seem to be on the agenda, is absolutely certain that he cannot be mayor of Catania in the M5s. The only exceptions allowed by the constraint of two mandates concern the municipal councillors. All that remains is for Giuseppe Conte to come up with a ploy – or a last-minute vote on Skyvote – to readmit him to the Olympus of the greats. Unforgotten politicians that people still claim on the street.