Who is Francesco Cannizzaro, the new mayor of Reggio Calabria who snatched the municipality from the centre-left after 12 years
A victory that delivers Reggio Calabria to the centre-right. The gap between the new mayor and his competitor Domenico Battaglia was clear. Incidentally, this is not even the first time the two have challenged each other at the ballot box
Key points
The centre-right triumphs in Reggio Calabria with the victory of Francesco Cannizzaro. A bet won and wresting from the centre-left 12 years of administration. Indeed, the Dem candidate Domenico Battaglia, outgoing acting mayor after the collapse of the Falcomatà junta, did not make it. The distance between the two is clear: exit polls crown Cannizzaro with 64-68% against Battaglia's 21-25%.
The president of the Calabria Region Roberto Occhiuto comments on the result as 'a kind of balm' for the centre-right. For the governor, after the referendum result 'many were depressed'. He also recalls his past with Cannizzaro, calling him one of the most active parliamentarians for the city, as well as one of the very first councillors of the party.
The beginnings
Born in 1982, Francesco Cannizzaro, known as 'Ciccio', was born in Reggio Calabria. His family mosaic already includes other members active in politics. His sister Sabina, for example, is deputy chief of staff at the Regional Council. His cousin, on the other hand, is Giuseppina 'Giusi' Princi, an Italian MEP and vice-president of the regional council during Occhiuto's first term in office.
But going back to the newly appointed mayor, in 2002 Cannizzaro graduated as an electronics expert and became a ski instructor, while nine years later he became a doctor in Social Service Sciences for Pluridisciplinary and Intercultural Sciences of the Mediterranean Area, a qualification obtained at the University "Dante Alighieri" of Reggio Calabria with a thesis on public goods in the State Administration.
St. Stephen's Councilman
He took his first steps in politics in 2005 when he became town councillor for the village of Santo Stefano in Aspromonte. He subsequently held the position of councillor with numerous delegations, including tourism and municipal police. Five years later he was again confirmed. Also in those years, he organised a Summer School in collaboration with the Mediterranea University of Reggio and also joined the regional coordination of Anci. He also coordinates excursions to Aspromonte on behalf of a travel agency.
