Patrizio Cinque, former mayor of Bagheria with the 5 Star Movement and early grillino, will be a candidate with the five stars in the next European elections in the Islands district. First of those elected to the Movement’s parliaments, Cinque presents himself as a point of reference for Sicilian and Sardinian citizens in Strasbourg. “It is a source of great pride for me to be able to have the opportunity to represent the citizens of the two Islands in the European Parliament for the 5 Star Movement. Having been the most voted on the platform by our activists burdens me with further responsibility”, declares Patrizio Cinque.There are many topics on the agenda to be brought to Europe, where Patrizio Cinque underlines the great work done by the Conte II government for the allocation of PNRR funds: “The executive led by our President has achieved great success in securing the funds of the Next Generation EU for Italy, an optimal starting point for our future. Unfortunately, the current management of the funds by the Meloni government risks ruining everything putting at risk the growth and development opportunities of our country. We need expertise in managing funds to avoid wasting this enormous heritage.”
Cinque criticizes the traditional approach of Italian foreign policy, advocating greater defense and promotion of “Made In Italy” and rigorous protection of local agriculture from European policies that penalize Italian production. “The European Parliament has a crucial role in shaping the future of European citizens. A clear and coherent approach on foreign and trade policy, which defends national and regional interests, is essential,” says Cinque.
Patrizio Cinque’s candidacy for the European Elections represents an opportunity to promote a more transparent, participatory policy oriented towards the well-being of local communities: “If in the last 20 years the role of our country has been debased on the foreign policy front but also on defense and promotion of local productions, it is because the parties sent people to Brussels who did not serve the interests of the Italians. The European Parliament itself has endorsed by majority those free trade treaties such as the EU-Morocco treaty which, for example, have put our agri-food products such as citrus fruits out of the market. The same thing can be said for the CAP, the Common Agricultural Policy which favors livestock farming and large agricultural extensions in Northern European countries to the total detriment of small and medium-sized companies in Southern Italy, including Sicily. And the opening of the rules on the import of Tunisian oil has led to the same consequences, a legalized unfair competition that has brought a fundamental sector of the Sicilian economy to its knees”.
A fundamental theme in the idea of a new Europe that Cinque carries forward is represented by universal income, a step forward compared to the citizenship income introduced by the government led by Giuseppe Conte and abolished by Giorgia Meloni: “The time has come to embrace a concept of more inclusive social justice, universal income, a sort of European citizen’s income. In a Europe that aspires to equality and solidarity, we must guarantee every individual the dignity of a basic income in Italy it is a step backwards, an affront to human dignity and the fight against poverty. It is time to act with courage and vision, and implement universal income as the foundation of a more equitable and progressive society, where every person can live with security. and dignity”.
THE WORK OF PATRIZIO CINQUE DURING THE MANDATE AS MAYOR OF BAGHERIA
Patrizio Cinque, born in 1985, was Mayor of Bagheria from June 2014 to 2019, elected after winning 70% of the votes in the runoff. His administration marked important milestones, such as the restructuring of municipal accounts, the implementation of separate waste collection and the launch of important infrastructure projects. The Cinque administration has started work on the new motorway junction and the Aspra fish market, has stabilized the temporary workers of the Local Authority, has begun to demolish the illegal houses on the coast, has dismantled the criminal network of shady deals in services cemeteries. Still on the legality front, the news stories reporting wiretaps of mafiosi who, speaking of the Cinque Administration, claimed that since that mayor was in office, business could no longer be concluded with the local authority are very famous.
“My experience as Mayor has taught me the importance of acting with determination and responsibility for the good of communities. In Europe, I intend to carry forward this vision, working to improve the quality of life of citizens and defend their interests”, he says Five.
