From the judicial storm to the blown Pd-M5s primaries: what is happening in Bari?

A new judicial storm with a investigation for vote bargaining lands on the vote for the Bari municipal elections and splits the centre-left that, in an already tense climate, was preparing to celebrate next Sunday's primaries to choose a united mayoral candidate. The leader of the M5S, Giuseppe Conte, in the city to take part in an electoral initiative in support of Michele Laforgia, pulled out of the 7 April primaries, announcing that 'there are no longer the conditions' to hold them seriously' and confirming his support for his own candidate. A choice that the Nazareno described as 'incomprehensible'. "If the 5-Star Movement thinks it can win alone against the right, go ahead," the Dems said, "but have respect for the city of Bari, for the centre-left voters and do not think of giving morality lessons to anyone. The PD remains at the side of Bari, which has already shown how important the PD is as a garrison of legality and good administration'. The M5s leader's decision could create a heavy rift with the Dems, which, it is reasoned in Democratic Party circles, could lead them to support their candidate without seeking mediation within the broad camp, which is now definitely dented by this affair.

The judicial enquiry that has raided Apulian politics has led to eight arrests and has affected the regional government led by Michele Emiliano (of which the M5s is also a member) with the regional councillor of the PD, Anita Maurodinoia, nicknamed 'lady preferences', under investigation for vote bargaining, who has resigned from office and from the party. Her husband,Sandro Cataldo, leader of the 'sud al centro' movement, and the mayor of Triggiano Antonio Donatelli ended up under house arrest. The charges are of buying and selling votes (paid as much as EUR 50 each) for the elections in two municipalities in the province of Bari and for the regional elections.

"The Democratic Party," says the secretary of the PD, Elly Schlein, "does not accept dirty votes. We do not tolerate bought votes. Those who think politics is a taxi to pander to personal ambitions without making any scruples cannot find any space in the party we are rebuilding, here they must find closed and sealed doors'.

The enquiry follows two other investigations into alleged vote-swapping that, in the previous months, led to the arrests of two former municipal councillors of Bari, with the shadow of Mafia infiltration also hanging over them, so much so that in Bari the access commission sent by the Viminale has been working for days to assess whether there are Mafia infiltrations in the administration and will decide whether to dissolve the municipality. The Bari case is also at the attention of the parliamentary anti-mafia commission, which in the coming days will also hear the governor of Puglia, Michele Emiliano, and the mayor Antonio Decaro.

Between the latter two, the relationship was soured by the alleged meeting that, according to what was publicly reported (and then partially rectified) by the governor during an event in Bari, took place several years ago with the sister of the Bar Vecchia boss, Antonio Capriati. The mayor has denied ever having been present and comments on this new investigation saying he is 'not surprised'. He adds: 'First, during the last elections, I made detailed complaints, I made three. Two of those were for people who voted for me, for lists linked to my name'. And while the centre-left is in flames and the centre-right still does not have a mayoral candidate, Prime Minister Meloni intervenes on the Bari case and the controversy over the sending of the Viminale commission and reiterates: 'We can discuss whether the rule on the dissolution of municipalities is adequate, but we cannot ask that left-wing administrations be treated differently from others. 'I do not enter into the merits, the issue is not political, but this government,' he added, 'has dissolved several municipalities and no one has torn their clothes. I have never liked this Italy in which the left has more rights than others'.