Vicinanza: «In the Pd there is a furious fight, we mayors are bargaining chips. Ruotolo? Culture of suspicion»

The internal machinations of the Democratic Party (Pd) have once again cast a shadow over local governance, as highlighted by the situation in Castellammare. Mayor Luigi Vicinanza, a figure elected on a civic platform, finds himself caught in a fierce battle for control within the Pd, where mayors and local administrators are being treated as mere pawns in a game of political concessions and factional balancing. This is not just about Castellammare; it's a symptom of a party seemingly more preoccupied with its own survival and internal rivalries than with the effective governance of the communities it serves.

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We have been abandoned by an senseless and opportunistic Pd. Us who? Me and the mayor of Torre Annunziata: useful for winning elections, inconvenient for governing cities.

Vicinanza's frustration is palpable, particularly with the actions of regional secretary Piero De Luca. The premature call for his resignation, preceding the outcome of an official commission investigating potential Camorra infiltration, reeks of political opportunism. It suggests that the party's leadership is willing to sacrifice local stability and the trust of citizens for the sake of appeasing internal factions or perhaps to distance themselves from potential political fallout. This timing, especially when Vicinanza was engaged in crucial regional matters concerning Fincantieri, underscores a disturbing shift in priorities.

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Because in the Pd a furious fight between faction leaders is underway. It proceeds with concessions and balancing acts, I give something to you in your constituency and you return it to me in mine. The mayors and assessors have become bargaining chips, especially if they are not members of the Pd like me and Corrado Cuccurullo.

From our perspective at Corriere della Sera, this episode reveals a troubling trend within the Pd. The "culture of suspicion" that Sandro Ruotolo seems to champion, even when it serves his political aims, undermines the very principles of due process and fair play. Vicinanza's steadfast refusal to resign, despite the political pressure, speaks to a commitment to his constituents and a belief in his own integrity. He rightly points out that his resignation would not alter the course of any investigation and would only serve to destabilize the city further. The party's internal struggles are playing out at the expense of the people they are supposed to represent, a narrative that resonates deeply within Italian politics.

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For three months, from January 29 to April 28, a commission of inquiry worked in Castellammare to verify any Camorra infiltration in administrative acts. When the work was finished, but before the ministerial decision, which I cannot know when it will arrive, De Luca, on May 7, officially gave me the boot.