The electoral campaign for the next European elections which will be celebrated on 8 and 9 June begins; we start with the political meeting of “Greens and Left Alliance”, organized yesterday afternoon in Piazza Pescheria in Barletta in the presence of three candidates for the constituency of Southern Italyincluding the leaders Mimmo Lucano. He was three times mayor of the city of Riace in Calabria, in 2010 he placed third in the World Mayor’s ranking of the best mayors in the world. A choice strongly desired by this political force, testifying to its electoral slogan: “The courage to dare”.
Also present was the Arabic language teacher at the Oriental University of Naples, winner of the “Women Award 2003” as “Excellent women of the year – a woman for peace”, Souzan Fatayerthe former regional councilor for the environment Anna Grazia Maraschio, also on the list after having noisily left the Emiliano Council, with no shortage of barbs between the president of the Italian Left Nichi Vendola and the Apulian Governor. Also present is the politician-journalist-writer-co-founder of “Il Manifesto”, Luciana Castellina who was entrusted with the conclusions of the meeting. The barlettana Annamaria Cafierocity secretariat of the Italian Left-“Franco Dambra” club, introduced the interventions.
For the Manifesto journalist, awareness of a moment of great change is necessary: «We need to become aware of the problems of this historical moment and give answers to the epochal changes». Castellina clarifies the failure of capitalism and recalls a key value that starts from the assumption of responsibility, speaking of “Revolution”, a term perhaps obsolete and too debased but which always shows its own urgency, giving radical responses to the many issues that forcefully appear on the international and European scene; the strong and clear reference is to Antonio Gramsci and his complex but simple thought of equality between peoples. Fatayer recalled how, in recent days, Italy has fallen to 45th place (down 5 positions) on press freedom. Constantly called back the values of social justice, human rights.
Even more explicit is Maraschio’s comment which underlines the drama of the moment we are experiencing, raising one of the fundamental themes of this political party which has always been that of pacifism; clear, definitive, «The truth is revolutionary» without adding any ifs or buts.
Lucano recalled his long experience as an administrator, with the courage to choose, opposing an inhuman drift while also risking his own freedom. Today he can tell it more serenely, after a judicial odyssey that lasted 7 years in which he was the protagonist: «I have always realized that the right goes hand in hand with the strong powers» and then further states that: «The Cutro massacre (again in Calabria, ed.) it was the lowest moment of this right-wing government.”
