by Wainer Preda
Nine councilors and a subtle balancing act to avoid sliding too far to the left. Elena Carnevali presented its new council late yesterday afternoon (Thursday 20 June) at Palazzo Frizzoni.
There is no doubt that the Democratic Party is the dominus of this electoral round in Bergamo. The first party in the city with 26 percent, the Democratic Party places its four most voted and representative men. Two councilors go to the Gori List (although one is a technician), one to the Carnevali List, one to Futura-Avs and one, surprisingly, to Bergamo Europea.
A different approach
Beyond appearances, the new mayor has chosen an executive with names very similar to those of her predecessor, but with a completely different approach, an interpretative slant. Giorgio Gori during his two mandates had opted for a mix between politicians and technicians, with a roughly centrist orientation. Palafrizzoni’s new tenant, on the other hand, turns decidedly more political, but instead of looking to the left, as is his style, she inserts counterweights to maintain a balance that avoids lateral slips.
The block of main councilors remained more or less the same. There are still Sergio Gandi, Marcella Messina, Giacomo Angeloni And Marzia Marchesi. But the interpretation of their roles is more political. And it couldn’t be otherwise, given the weight of the Democratic Party on the victory of 8 and 9 June.
Heavy delegations go to Gandi. The role of deputy mayor. And then Budget, Trade, Culture and Relations with the University. That is, a large part of city life. However, the deputy mayor freed himself from a burden: Security. Which is easily explainable. Piddino, but without heavy ideological connotations, criticized for his realpolitik on the subject of security, Gandi leaves the very important delegation to his colleague Angeloni, who by his nature is decidedly closer to positions congenial to the party.
At the same time, Gandi positions himself as the council’s interface, almost a guarantor, with the economic worlds that count in the city: exactly what he did during the electoral campaign. Angeloni, in addition to taking the brunt of Security, will continue to be the councilor for Innovation, Simplification, Demographic and Cemetery Services, roles which he carried out with excellent results in the last mandate.
Marchesi is responsible for the Department of Education (more precisely, children’s, educational and scholastic services), as well as youth policies, times and schedules, equal opportunities, education on legality, interculture and peace. Two women at the top of Bergamo would have represented a unique situation never seen before, but Carnevali didn’t feel like giving her the role of deputy mayor.
A novelty, which indeed responded more to the needs of the party than to those of the city. Furthermore, the combination would have put in black and white that the Democratic Party has two souls and that of Elly Schlein, represented by Marchesi, is anything but a minority. Not only. You would have highlighted a substantial balance between the two internal motions, after Gori’s third and decidedly atypical experience. With all the repercussions that this would have entailed in administrative terms.
Marchesi’s omnipresence alongside Carnevali throughout the electoral campaign, moreover, was a clear signal. He revealed his intention to prop up one group over the other. And it made it clear that the left of the party intended to leave its mark, or at least contribute to the administration of the next five years, after having been literally annihilated by Gori in the previous ten.
A delicate balance
But no. Carnevali slowed down, reassigning the role of deputy mayor to Gandi (…)
