Twenty days to the vote, once the lists have been filed, the outgoing mayor makes his considerations. Here’s what he thinks of the current elections:
“After the presentation of the lists,” he says, “it is possible to make some general considerations. What appears evident at first glance is the state of crisis in which politics finds itself in our city. The reasons that lead me to this bitter conclusion are the following: 1) The strong contrast between two coalitions that both refer to the center right. In fact, it should be underlined that many political exponents, now divided, until a few days ago were on the same side; 2) a movement present in the regional government and committed to voting for a Forza Italia candidate in the European elections, has allied itself in Gela with the Grillini and some nostalgic communists; 3) the left itself has divided into two sections; the PD has decided to support Di Stefano, and not one of his historical exponents like Donegani; 4) the five star movement which was born to change the system, acted with such unscrupulousness that it made the old politicians, who at least acted on the level of ideologies, pale; 5) a party like Forza Italia which did not hesitate, in the name of centre-right unity, to abandon the municipal administration in the midst of a financial crisis, has demonstrated, at a local level, that it pursues partisan interests and not the most generals of the city. Otherwise, the inability to present a complete list would not be explained, certainly a consequence of the private and family-run management of the party. If even FI, which has elected its own deputy to the regional assembly and also represents the President of the region, sends out such unedifying messages in our city, it means that we still have a long way to go to reach acceptable levels of participation in democratic life.
We hope that this crisis is limited to our territory and is not irreversible, but to block it we need a serious, capable and responsible political class, because when the level is lowered we become less impervious to the suggestions of power. I don’t want to express any judgment on the proposal of the designated councilors, even if I didn’t expect to see any protagonist of Gelese political life agree to play a secondary role, moreover in a coalition that isn’t well defined. I saw that the number of candidates for the city council has increased compared to 5 years ago.
Apparently it could be a good sign of greater participation in democratic life. In this case, however, it would be preferable to wait for the outcome of the elections; only then will we discover whether it is a conscious choice or the usual unacceptable and worrying stratagem: that of using people as bargaining chips. I hope for an electoral campaign rich in content that can competently address all the problems of our city. I hope that fundamental values such as mutual respect and that of the rule of law are not lost sight of. I also hope that time will be found to debate topics related to the European elections; crucial elections on which the future of our children and grandchildren depend. Only in this way can we avoid impoverishing the political debate. I am not a candidate, but I still remain a Gela citizen.
