What will Cecilia Del Re and Stefania Saccardi do? What voting indications will they give for the run-off, if they give them at all? The question has been circulating in the center-left since Sunday and the governor Eugenio Giani asked Saccardi, his deputy in the Region, to clearly and quickly support the PD candidate Sara Funaro. While the former councilor of the council Nardella has gathered her members and asks for “discontinuity” from Funaro on key issues, otherwise she will make no endorsement.
Giani’s appeal to Saccardi, and therefore also to Iv who carried out a tough electoral campaign in Florence against Funaro, the Democratic Party and Nardella, came as a surprise after both had tried to dodge the obstacle by claiming that in the Region the arrival would have gone ahead without problems. But then came the call from the Italian Left to “take note of the situation” and break with Iv, and very probably also from the Schlein area.
So Giani, with his calm but firm and explicit tones, a Counter radio commented: «I respect their position, but we win united… Tuscans are not interested in overly “partisan” debates, the wishes of the individual party. We are voting for a strong centre-left idea and therefore we must be as united as possible.” Then on the Florentine ballot and the unit he added: «I expect, but I say this with great serenity, that Stefania Saccardi will give a clear indication of her vote for Sara Funaro as soon as possible. I expect strong support. I don’t enter into the dialectic between political forces and alliances – she added – but I want Sara Funaro to be explicitly supported by the political forces that support me and in particular by my vice-president”.
Will there be a reshuffle? was pressed: «We have to think about only one thing now, the vote on 23 and 24 June. I appeal not to go to the seaside… “San Giovanni does not want deception”, as Piero Bargellini, Sara’s grandfather, also remembered, and we remain in Florence to vote and demonstrate that the centre-left is winning”. The request also came from Antonio Mazzeo — «I hope that Italia Viva supports Sara Funaro» — but yesterday Saccardi chose not to respond and will do so at the times that she and Italia Viva decide.
Dfor his part, Del Re doesn’t give up and reiterates that if there is no discontinuity, that is, a change of direction by Funaro and the Democratic Party, he will not give any support to the centre-left candidate and will continue to be in opposition. Here are the topics on the table: «Retirement of Invest in Florence, a housing plan, a stop to the sale of all public properties, a greenery plan, more power to the neighborhoods and the modification of the rule on student residences». «We are interested in politics while remaining on the issues, we are interested in Florence and not the seats. If we have guarantees of discontinuity on these issues – explains Del Re – we will be able to appeal to those who have placed their trust in us to vote. If, however, the Democratic Party decides to continue aiming only to retain power, then we will exclude any endorsement. And in any case remaining in opposition to whoever wins the ballot.”
