For the first time in its history Avellino elects a woman mayor: she is the “civic” Laura Nargi, 40 years old, outgoing deputy mayor, under investigation at large in the investigation which for more than two months now has brought the former mayor Gianluca Festa to the house arrest on charges of rigging competitions and steering contracts. «But now enough poisons and rumors, I will be everyone’s mayor», his first words while the former mayor under house arrest, making the heart symbol from behind the window, greeted his loyalists who celebrated the victory with fireworks under the his home in via Scandone.
The candidate of the broad camp, Antonio Gengaro, who during the electoral campaign had had the support of the leaders of the coalition, from Schlein to Boccia from Conte to Fratoianni, was defeated. The duel ended with Nargi at 51.84% (12,501 votes) and Gengaro at 48.16 (11,612), in a city where almost half of the electorate stayed at home (53.72 percent voted). «There were all the great centers of power against us», this is how Gengaro explained the defeat, although he was welcomed at the Piazza Libertà committee by applause and the chorus of “Bella ciao”.
“I hope they will administer in compliance with the law, we will now see what kind of bills they will have to pay based on the promises made,” added the centre-left candidate. There were moments of tension and there was a near fight when the procession celebrating Laura Nargi passed a short distance from Gengaro’s committee, setting off fireworks. «I invite my city to calm down, I called Nargi to wish her well. Our opposition will be loyal in the interests of the city but we will not make concessions to anyone”, Gengaro’s appeal.
Along the same lines, the new mayor who, after receiving the embrace of her supporters in via Matteotti, reached the municipal headquarters among the celebrating crowd. «I am really proud of this result – commented Nargi – now I want to rebuild a community that is truly proud of Avellino. It is the city’s victory, but I am happy that the people of Avellino have understood that I am a determined woman. I return to Palazzo di Città to make Avellino grow further. First acts? The opening of the autism center and then a great summer full of shows.”
No fear for the investigation by the Avellino Prosecutor’s Office into the outgoing administration which led to Festa’s arrest: Nargi is also involved, accused of criminal association for the auction rigging. But now she rejoices in the victory and denies that a place in the new council will be reserved for the former mayor. In the end, just over 900 votes made the difference, which the mayor raked in especially in the outskirts of the city, recovering the disadvantage suffered in the first round (32.49 Nargi, 36.98 Gengaro).
A comeback made possible by the electoral pact signed at the last minute with the centre-right civics inspired by the regional councilor Livio Petitto and the deputy Gianfranco Rotondi who had Rino Genovese as mayor, excluded from the ballot. A line not shared by the Brothers of Italy and the UDC who had then chosen the solitary race in the first round. «Rotondi – accused Gengaro – made an agreement under the table with a masked and shameful centre-right. I hope you don’t have to regret it in a few days. But we will not leave him the legacy of the Biancos and the De Mitas.” Rotondi rejected the accusations: “No agreement under the table, we chose Nargi because our political opponents from the center left were against her.”
Another disappointment for the Democratic Party: for the third time in a row the Dems lost the run-off in Avellino: it had already happened in 2018 when Nello Pizza was beaten by the Five Star Movement Vincenzo Ciampi and then in 2019 with Gianluca Festa, who left the Democratic Party, who won against Luca Cipriano. «Defeats are never beautiful but they can be the beginning of a new victory», declared Gengaro.
