The interview with Luigi Gravela, city secretary of the Matera Democratic Party who is immediately preparing for next year’s municipal elections
A path towards the municipal elections in Matera after the vote in the regional elections gave the leadership of the centre-left coalition to the Democratic party, the confirmation that the Democratic party does not intend to act as a crutch to the municipal majority even in this final part of the council elections and a resounding failure with a 4 on the report card for what has been the administration up to this point Bennardi in a mixture of inexperience and arrogance.
This is what the city secretary of the Democratic Party of Matera Luigi Gravela explained to the “Quotidiano” in an interview, analyzing the various issues that emerged after the regional vote on the city of Matera and which constitute a unique example in contrast to the data from the region as a whole. The next few months will be used by the Democratic Party to define a path with which to try to identify methods and choices to then make towards the municipal elections which are scheduled for the autumn of 2025. Starting with an appointment scheduled for this afternoon (13 May 2024) at the San Dominic.
Does the regional vote return the leadership of the center-left coalition in Matera to the Democratic Party?
“I want to underline the result first of all with respect to the turnout which continues to be low, in Basilicata in particular. It holds sway in Matera but this is not enough and this places a responsibility on the parties with the most votes, starting with the PD which is the leading party in the city.
This makes us proud and gives us the responsibility of knowing how to govern the processes between now and the next municipal elections.
This is the reasoning that we will build in the coming months. Starting from Monday (today 13 May 2024, ed.) when we organized an initiative to discuss with citizens.
The first step is turnout because with these numbers democracy could be at risk with fewer and fewer people deciding for many people.”
What is the interpretation of the vote of the last Regional elections on the city of Matera with a large victory of the center-left at 57% and 37% for the center-right are data in clear contrast with the national and regional trend. Why is there this data and in these proportions?
“There is one fact that makes you think. The work of the only opposition councilor who is Roberto Cifarelli.
There is a political fact of a slice of the population that sees us, especially the Democratic Party and I am referring above all to the opinion vote on Matera city with over 800 preferences only to the symbol that makes us reflect and gives us a very strong responsibility with respect to an alternative to the center-right which has become increasingly illiberal and anti-democratic. And that he governed badly and in the province of Matera this is more felt and evident due to the work done by the Democratic Party and Cifarelli.
We think there is an argument to be made for representation. Basilicata has parliamentarians outside the territory, today Matera city has a regional councilor and the representation of the territory is in strong discussion”.
The other emblematic element is that of the M5S which drops from a figure above 30% to 11% in the city of Matera which becomes 8% considering the entire province. How can this decline be explained by the fact that the city of Matera is governed by the M5S?
“I would try to separate the regional and municipal elections. I can underline a fact that politics gets more votes than government and this makes us reflect.
By doing good politics you can gather consensus more than by governing.
I don’t know whether to give an administrative reading of the vote even if the data overlaps.
I would also suggest greater reflection on this issue and on the municipal administration. In recent years I have always criticized the arrogance of entrenching oneself within one’s own majority and a few people.”
But does this political fact that comes out of the Regionals exclude the hypothesis of a Bennardi bis and leave the PD with the task of leading a coalition?
“Before talking about Bennardi bis we must talk about the city. I don’t want to get into the discussion about the next mayor without creating a bottom-up path. It is clear that we feel a responsibility as the Democratic Party that we want to share with the voters.
A path for the city and not against the administrators. We want to collect all the elements that can give us a city different from that of today”.
Is there a clear idea of the method to be used to create a coalition and then evidently also arrive at a center-left mayoral candidate?
“I don’t know if the primaries will be a tool. We have at least a year to go and we can’t pretend that everything is fine. I want to listen to the city. A method that can allow us to arrive at two or three solutions on the coalition, on the objectives and then on the candidates”.
Will the Democratic Party be able to find a unified solution?
“I hope that the work to be done will be preparatory to a unified solution within the Democratic Party. But it’s not a responsibility I want to shoulder alone. The Democratic Party has a great strength that has many components within it. The result of unity requires comparative work.”
Are there the conditions for a political agreement in Matera city with the 5 Star Movement?
“There may be a political agreement but not an institutional one. I don’t think that the administration runs any risk of holding and lasting but in any case we remain firmly in opposition and I’m putting my hand in the fire on this. We work to win the next elections.”
Shall we rate these 3 and a half years of Bennardi government from 1 to 10?
“I would say below sufficient. I’d say a four. But I don’t want to sound like a professor. I’m based on what I see compared to the city.
There is no strong consensus. In my opinion it is due to an inexperience factor to which arrogance has been added.
If you are inexperienced, try asking for help regarding politics and what is happening in the city. And on the other hand we pay the price for what has always happened in the city, that is, to small groups who from time to time, going back in time, “blackmail” the administration.
Today we have a councilor-city councilor ratio which is 1 to 1 and this raises the question: do the councilors appoint the councilors or the mayor?
Matera deserves more. In this sense I give it a failing grade.
There is no ability either to dream or even to speak and discuss.”
