The center-left – or right/big field, whatever you want to call it – is taking cover after the sensational withdrawal of Domenico Lacerenza, the ophthalmologist appointed 72 hours earlier, from the region's leadership race of Basilicata. . After a day of intense discussions, the Pd, the M5, the Green Alliance and the left, as well as the PSI and +Europa, found a new agreement to replace him: the new candidate from the “democratic, progressive and ecological camp » will be Piero Marrese, the current president of the province of Matera. A choice which comes a little more than a month before the vote, scheduled for April 21, with a campaign difficult to build against the outgoing governor Vito Bardi, supported by the entire center right and yesterday also by Italia Viva. But the progressive front believes in it, or at least argues it: “The proposal, which remains open to other civic forces in the same field who wish to join, aims to offer the citizens of Basilicata a better government alternative. than the bankruptcy of the last five years of the Bardi administration”, we read in a joint note.
Calenda's confusion
What seems to be left out is action. The leader of the center party Carlo Calenda denounced with disbelief what happened in the last hours: “Since yesterday afternoon, since the withdrawal of the candidate of the 5 stars and the Democratic Party, we are looking for Elly Schlein, of the Party Democrat, to understand what their intention is in Basilicata, as it is right to do, since we are opposition forces. To our dismay, we were unable to speak to anyone. For the moment, we do not know what the Democratic Party wants to do, I understand that it is trying to recompose an axis with the M5 on another candidacy”, declared Calenda this morning from Potenza. The leader of Action thus entrusted to Marcello Pittella and Donato Pessolano the task “to bring together the leadership, to verify the state of this embarrassing situation that has been created and to draw the necessary consequences”. And while the party comes together, all options remain on the table. Also that of supporting Bardi: “We have always had a positive opinion of him, he is a moderate, a man of institutions, a cultured man, a pro-European, a liberal. As you know, there have never been any prejudices, but it is always important for us to do everything we can to bring together national oppositions.”
Lucanian disorder
And to think that the center-left had already expressed two candidates. Barely a week ago, part of the Democratic Party was ready to support Angelo Chiorazzo, entrepreneur and founder of the Auxilium cooperative. Then the setback, due to the refusal of the 5 Star Movement to support his candidacy and the choice of another name. That of Domenico Lacerenza, head doctor in ophthalmology in Potenza. Pd and 5 Stelle, together with Avs, +Europa and Basilicata Casa Comune di Chiorazzo were ready to support him in the electoral campaign, but in less than 72 hours everything came to a head. Some local Democratic Party leaders expressed doubts, while Azione withdrew and Italia Viva announced it would support incumbent center-right governor Vito Bardi. This is why Lacerenza also took a step back: “My intention was to unite, not to break the vast camp,” he said when announcing his withdrawal. Chiorazzo then presented his candidacy again with his list: “With us there will be other civic lists and those who want to join this project,” he wrote in a press release.
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