Manfredi: ‘There is a very close link between development, social cohesion and institutional reforms’
According to the president of ANCI, ‘There is an urgent need to replicate the PNRR approach on a structural basis’
‘The aim of improving Italy and moving the country forward by solving its problems must be the goal of politics at all levels, but this is particularly true for mayors, who, more than anyone else, are out amongst the people, grappling with their expectations, needs and eagerness for answers.’ Gaetano Manfredi, president of ANCI and mayor of Naples, begins by referring to the “urgent need for practical action that we experience within local authorities” to explain the reasons that led the association of municipalities – institutional rather than political, and cross-party by nature as local authorities span the political spectrum – to promote the report on ‘Leverages for Growth’, edited by Roberto Garofoli.
This analysis comes as the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) enters its final phase; it calls for the Plan’s methodological approach to be adopted, in addition to reaping the benefits of the investments. What is the overall assessment emerging from local authorities regarding these past few years?
We believe, without exaggeration, that the experience of the NRRP since the summer of 2020 – spanning three governments, two parliamentary terms and conflicts in Europe and around the world – has been unprecedented in many respects and a success. Certainly, things could have been done better, as is always the case. But only those who, like mayors, face the daily struggle of securing the right resources to get things done – and who are familiar with the red tape, the pointless bureaucracy, and the years or even decades it takes to complete projects – know that there is another way: the possibility of change. Precisely for this reason, in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the Republic, it is important to assess the state of the country in strategic sectors, starting with an analysis of the data, highlighting the impact of the innovations, simplifications and advances of recent years, and promoting the application of a method for implementing public policies that we believe should be fully rolled out.
Support for such a wide-ranging project cannot stem solely from a desire to ‘take stock’. What is the real ambition?
We have undertaken this analysis – which is undoubtedly complex and wide-ranging – to highlight the very close link between competitiveness and growth, the reduction of inequalities and innovation in institutional frameworks, identifying a number of prospects and acting solely in a spirit of service. We operate in the knowledge that any mission is possible if the right rules of engagement are established, if everyone’s tasks and objectives are clearly defined, and if we all move in the same direction through teamwork to foster Italia’s growth. Our ambition is to stimulate debate, create a forum for discussion, and mobilise political forces, institutions, and representatives of the economic and productive sectors in a healthy and positive manner. I announced the launch of this initiative last year at the National Assembly in Bologna, and the hope is that this work will serve as a starting point capable of mobilising those who care deeply about the many messages and perspectives set out in the Report, through a process of development and implementation within their respective fields of expertise and action. Following the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), it is essential not to squander its many positive aspects. Instead, the country must move forward and, above all, recognise the need to streamline processes, define programmes and priorities, and set clear tasks.
