In Reggio Calabria and Messina elections under the sign of the Strait Bridge
The municipal elections in the two Straits cities see leading candidates from Forza Italia and Pd confront each other to regain local power and relaunch the infrastructure project
A glance at the ballot box and one at the waters that separate Calabria and Sicily. That arm of the sea that the centre-right mayoral candidates of Reggio Calabria and Messina aim to overcome, not only metaphorically, but also physically, giving vigour to thestretch bridge project so dear to the minister Matteo Salvini.
One, Francesco Cannizzaro, a leading Forza Italia exponent in Calabria, reconfirmed as regional coordinator of the party just last Sunday, and deputy group leader at the Chamber of Deputies, and the other, Marcello Scurria, not a direct expression of the Azzurri but considered close to the FI wing headed by Matilde Siracusano, the under-secretary. To succeed and give shape to the centre-right's bet on southern Italy, however, they will first have to win back two cities that in the last decade have seen the coalition far from the highest seat in their respective town halls in two of Forza Italia's 'fortress' regions. This is the main challenge to be played out on the shores of the Strait: reconquering the municipalities to give continuity to the chain with the Region and the government and concreteness to the "Patto di Caronte" - signed in Calabria by all the mayoral candidates of Reggio and Messina - to arrive at a coordinated management of the area.
Candidates in the field in Messina
In Messina, Scurria, who is also supported by Fratelli d'Italia, Noi Moderati, Lega, Popolari e Autonomisti and Grande Sicilia, will have to contend not only with the candidate of the progressive camp Antonella Russo, a municipal councillor indicated by the PD and also supported by the 5 Star Movement, but also with former mayor Federico Basile who, in order to gamble his re-election, has resigned to go to an early vote. A strategy agreed with his deus ex machina Cateno De Luca who has fielded no less than 15 lists. Completing the picture are outsiders Gaetano Sciacca and Lillo Valvieri.
The protagonists in Reggio Calabria
On the other side of the Strait, the centre-left has lined up Domenico Battaglia, who became acting mayor of Reggio - which is also metropolitan city - after the election to the regional council of Giuseppe Falcomatà, of the PD, who led the city for 12 years. It is to him, son of art - his father was mayor of Reggio - that the coalition composed, among others, by Pd, M5s, Avs and Casa Riformista, relies on to face the attack of Cannizzaro, who relies on 11 lists to hit the target with the united centre-right to which Action has also been added. Completing the picture of the challengers in Reggio are the civic Eduardo Lamberti Castronuovo and Saverio Pazzano.
