An electoral round full of twists and turns regarding the renewal of mayors and councilors in the municipalities of the Palermo area above 15 thousand inhabitants. TO Cinisi we are looking for a replacement for Giangiacomo Palazzolo, resigning mayor and now candidate in the European elections among the ranks of the United States of Europe of Matteo Renzi and Emma Bonino, in Italia Viva share. There were supposed to be four candidates, but Leonardo Biundo backed out after the arrest of his father-in-law, Giovanni Palazzolo, investigated for mafia. «In relation to press reports, despite being totally unrelated to the factswhich will be verified in court, in order to avoid any exploitation I inform you that I have withdrawn my candidacy for mayor” reads his note. They remain in the running Vera Abbate55 years old, outgoing city councilor, Nino Vitalea 49-year-old entrepreneur and another Palazzolo, Salvatorea 71-year-old lawyer and former mayor.
I am 259 candidates for the city council Of Bagheria, distributed across thirteen lists in support of the four candidates for mayor of the town of villas on the outskirts of Palermo. Of these thirteen lists, seven orbit around the outgoing mayor, Filippo Tripoli, which delegated Antonella Insinga, Vincenzo Mineo, Biagio Sciortino and Marino Domino as councilors. A former regional deputy elected from the ranks of Raffaele Lombardo’s Popolari and autonomists, Tripoli had left his parliamentary group halfway through the legislature to join the mixed group, where he remained for the entire duration of his mandate. They present themselves against him, who once again presents a list of lists without party symbols Tommaso Garganoformer Italia Viva and candidate of a Disunited centre-rightsupported by Forza Italia, Fratelli d’Italia, Movimento siciliano d’azione and l’Aquilone, Pina Auditionsupported only by the Christian Democrats of Totò Cuffaro and Rosario Giammanco, supported by the Bagheria Libera list.
The real political case took place in Monrealewhere sparks flew – needless to say – within the center-right, with an explosion that also had echoes at a regional level. Alberto Arcidiacono, the outgoing mayor, elected five years ago with the votes of the centre-right, is trying again and launching his re-nomination. Then the twist: Fratelli d’Italia, one of the parties that had contributed to the election of Arcidiacono, not only distances itself, but presents its own candidate, Christmas Macalusocreating an embarrassing situation for Marco IntravaiaMelonian regional deputy and president of the outgoing municipal council of Monreale, who was already working on the re-election campaign.
Hence the sparks, with Intravaia abandoning the party: «I found no willingness to listen on the part of the provincial and regional leadership which, against all logic, tried to impose on me the abandonment of the civic project of which, five years ago, I was one of the main architects and which made me led to hold the position of president of the city council” he writes in a note. Note poorly digested by the leaders of FdI, who to push Macaluso’s candidacy have deployed two heavyweights such as the national deputy as designated councilors Carolina Varchi and the councilor of the municipality of Palermo Giampiero Cannella, party coordinator for western Sicily. In support of Arcidiacono, the only party that deployed the symbol was Cuffaro’s Christian Democracy.
And if the center-right divides, the very large opposition camp in the Regional Assembly cannot do without itpresenting two candidates: Lillo Sanfratellosupported by the Democratic Party, which appointed Fabio Zanetti, Elena Milletarì and Biagio Cigno as councilors and Filippo Parrellosupported instead by the Five Star Movement and the South calls the North, which delegates Giuseppe Romanotto, Marco Trapanese and Gaetano Aurelio Bombagini as councilors.
Calmer situation a Lionheartwhere the outgoing mayor tries again Nicolò Nicolosiwho however will have to deal with Walter Ra, candidate of the centre-right, despite Nicolosi himself having never been far from the latitudes of the Diventerà Bellissima area of Fratelli d’Italia. Also applying for Pippo Ciprianiformer mayor of the municipality from 1993 to 2002.
