OfRoberto De Ponti
The (outgoing) mayor of Florence and candidate for the European elections: «Sara Funaro will become mayor. Schmidt has little regard for the city and the Florentines. I would be sorry if Renzi transformed politics into a personal matter”
«Do you know that when I go out of town I realize that I am better known than I imagined? Perhaps it’s because I’m often on television, perhaps above all because being mayor of Florence is different from being mayor of any other city, but people recognize me.”
And after recognizing you, Mayor Nardella, what do people do? Do you vote for it or not?
«Obviously I hope they vote for me, I see a lot of enthusiasm and I’m confident. In my house-to-house, street-to-street campaign, I feel that people recognize my passion and concreteness. And every time they tell me: but you’re the one who tackled those guys who were littering the building.”
Does the image of the mayor-Rambo work?
«Let’s not exaggerate…».
Don’t you miss the challenge for Palazzo Vecchio?
“I’ve already given, thanks.”
And how do you see, from afar but not too much, this electoral campaign for the mayor of Florence?
“I notice that little is said about content and personal attacks prevail.”
Addressed to her too, but we’ll talk about it. How is Sara Funaro going?
«He is tackling concrete issues with competence and seriousness».
They accuse him of not leaving Dario Nardella’s shadow.
«Nothing could be further from the truth. Sara has always shown herself to be a free woman. They attack her because they fear her and because she is stronger than her. You claim the results of these ten years and on this you are in agreement with those who give a positive opinion to our administration but are also implementing a new project that looks to the future and is thus broadening attention and consensus.”
Eike Schmidt called her a “bag carrier”.
«A chauvinistic and uncalled for attack. He said that it was imposed by a group of men when in reality the only one who was imposed from outside was him, chosen in Rome by Donzelli, Salvini and Meloni.”
The relationship between her and Schmidt has always been complex.
«Well… at the beginning, when we were in government and it was Franceschini who decided, Schmidt was extremely helpful, then with the approach of the right-wing winds he coincidentally became more aggressive. I remind the former director of the Uffizi that he did nothing of what we asked of him: he promised to open the Vasari Corridor in 2021, it didn’t happen; he had assured that he would remove the largest crane by 2023, it didn’t happen.”
Is this why you think you won’t become mayor of Florence?
«I believe that he should not become one due to the lack of consideration he shows for the city and for the Florentines. He ran without resigning from Capodimonte, but told the Neapolitans not to worry, that if he were to lose he would return to them. Which means that if he were to lose he would not have the intention of entering the city council as an opposition councilor. When I ran for Palazzo Vecchio, I resigned as a parliamentarian.”
So Funaro will win.
“I’m convinced so, and the first round will go very well too.”
The survey published by «Corriere Fiorentino» doesn’t say exactly that. He talks about going head to head with Schmidt. And the feeling is that after the publication the Democratic Party changed its strategy.
«I confirm. That poll gave a shock to the people of the Democratic Party. Funaro changed his attitude, moving from defense to attack, taking his opponents by surprise. But all our candidates are now campaigning the right way too. I was angry when I read those numbers, but now I think that not all polls have a silver lining.”
Meanwhile, potential allies are dividing on the ballot. Renzi winks at the right and Saccardi replies that the priority interlocutor is the Democratic Party, Del Re does not take sides but then, like his candidate Tognetti, maintains that the right is not an option. So?
«It makes no sense to talk today about balloting and tactics. For us it is clear that the adversaries are Schmidt and the right, and I am convinced that those with centre-left history and values do not side with those who embrace fascists and racists.”
We were talking about personal attacks…
«You want to ask me about Matteo Renzi…».
Do it yourself. It seems you two have a personal issue.
“Not me. If that were the case, I would hate for Matteo to turn politics into a personal matter. For me, politics is a confrontation of ideas and not insults.”
He says you broke up over the Franchi stadium issue.
«Given that the Florentines don’t know what to do with Matteo Renzi’s controversies and that I don’t have the time or desire to reply to his invectives, because he attacks me even if I yawn, I want to remember the facts about the stadium. Iv voted for Draghi’s Pnrr which also includes funding for the stadium and even claimed it with explicit declarations. Iv in my council voted on all, I mean all, both the urban planning and financial resolutions on Campo di Marte. And the money does not go to the stadium as a sports facility but as a national monument. I assert my choice, because I don’t want Franchi to end up like Flaminio.”
Let’s go back to the European Championships: one of his adversaries, Antonio Mazzeo, was defined as “unpresentable” by the anti-mafia commission.
«Yes, and I find this name completely unfair. You have all my solidarity.”
What will the Democratic Party do?
«In Tuscany it will go well over 30%».
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June 1, 2024 (changed June 1, 2024 | 07:21)
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