Anthony M. Quattrone
Roberto Saviano, author of Gomorrah
The leader of the Italia dei Valori (IDV) party (Italy of Values party), Antonio Di Pietro, stated on Friday, 6 November 2009, that he will support Roberto Saviano for president of the Campania region during the elections that will take place next March. Saviano has gained worldwide fame by authoring a well documented book, Gomorrah, detailing the relationship between politics, industry and the Camorra, the Neapolitan version of the Mafia. Di Pietro is a former magistrate who, in the early 1990s was active in prosecuting major Italian politicians involved in corruption and bribery cases. Di Pietro was part of a wider team of magistrates based in Milan who were known by the press as the “clean hands” pool. The work done by Di Pietro and the other magistrates of the pool eventually led to the dissolution of both the Italian Socialist and Christian Democratic Parties in the mid 90s.
The elections for the presidency of the Campania region will represent a major test for both the governing center right coalition led by media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, which includes the Popolo della Libertà (People of Liberty) and the Northern League, and for the two major parties on the center left, the Democratic Party and Di Pietro’s IDV, which are facing significant difficulties in forming a coalition. The Union of Democrats of the Center led by Pier Ferdinando Casini, formed by remnants of the disbanded Christian Democrats, and a group of smaller leftist parties have not yet announced if they will run on their own, or if they will support a candidate from one of the two major coalitions.
The current president of the Campania Region, Antonio Bassolino, who is a member of the center left Democratic Party, is under heavy criticism for inefficiencies related to the management of the garbage crisis that hit Naples and other areas in the Campania region in 2007 and 2008. He is also criticized for having developed a vast spoils system awarding consultancy and outsourcing contracts to loyal followers.
The center right formation appears to be interested in putting forward as a candidate Nicola Consentino, the current regional president of the Popolo della Libertà party, who has been accused by five police informants of having major ties with the Casalesi organized crime group.
Di Pietro’s proposal to candidate Saviano for the position of president of the Region aims at forcing center left and center right formations to search for nominees who are competent and have excellent ethical reputations.
The Campania region is home to approximately 6 million residents. It is one of the most populous regions in Italy. Naples is the capital of the region. Four other major cities are located in Campania: Avellino, Benevento, Caserta, and Salerno.
Nice post. Saviano would make a good candidate and he might help cleaning Naples’ reputation.
Very nice. I would like to see more articles about media shedding light on the lack of budget transparency, the numerous commune workers and their salaries.
Keep up the good work!
For sure his candidacy would be a sweeping, shattering wind gust of cleanliness and transparency. Perfect as a provocation. I doubt Saviano would accept. Politics entail mediation, sometimes compromise and that ‘s not exactly his bag. But if he decided to run, he would have my unconditional vote.
Thanks Tony for your dedication in keeping us informed and updated in such a clear, lucid and unbiased manner.
BTW tomorrow (wed) Saviano will be on RAI 3 with Fazio.
Dear Renata,
thank you for your comment!
I agree with you that the art of politics entails mediation and making compromises. Saviano has no managerial experience, and I would doubt that he could run, in an efficient way, the Region. However, by just putting forward his name as a candidate, the whole issue of ethics and morality is back on the table. I hope that the major parties get the message!
All the best,
Tony
On the surface , Saviano’s potential candidacy appears to be a good omen. Two observations ,however, should be made: 1) this a tactic as old as the world- particularly used in the post-unification of Italy period and at the beginning of Fascism: co-opting adversaries and those who complain the loudest into the circle of power , and,in time, faced with the realities of power and life itself they will be compromised; and 2)while Saviano may have a passionate righteousness and journalist skills what makes anyone believe that he has equally sharp political or administrative skills? Remember when Bassolino was the can do no wrong mayor of Naples?
After all as Cosimo Medici the Elder in the 1400s put it, ” States are not ruled with “Pater Nosters”
Dear Luciano,
thank you for your comment!
I am afraid that you are right — Saviano probably doesn’t have the political and administrative skills to run the Campania Region. He probably did the best thing in announcing that he will not run.
I really hope that the political parties will choose “clean” and competent candidates.
All the best,
Tony
Dear Tony,
thanks for replying to my comment: a non
existing behaviour in the Italian culture. Not once I received an answer from the Italian
politicians.
Anyway I agree: it’s the message that counts!
But do you know the Italian proverb that goes: “Il peggior sordo e’ quello che non vuol sentire” ?
Ciao e a presto,
Renata
We knew that it would utopia to have Saviano running for president of the Campania region, but we still hoped and dreamed of such a possibility.
At least it’s understood, we hope, that the hot issue is the ethical question (“la questione morale”) that Berlinguer raised long ago.
There seems to be lot of confusion in the PDL. Cosentino claims that Berlusconi is supporting his candidacy. Fini does not and he also affirms that Berlusconi excludes the possibility for Cosentino to run. Personally I firmly believe, “rebus sic stantibus “, that Cosentino should step back until his situation is cleared by the “procura” of Naples. In fact I think he should also resign from his present position.
Always appreciative of your excellent work.
Saluti, Renata