Florence, floating island on the Arno. The left’s latest idea leaves us stunned –

Christian Campigli

April 11, 2024

Many Florentines believed it was an ill-timed April Fool’s joke. In reality, the center-left mayoral candidate in Florence, Sara Funaro, actually said it. To the newspaper Il Corriere Fiorentino you confessed that you wanted to create “a floating island in the middle of the Arno”. The Tuscan capital, as we know, is the kingdom of controversy and making fun of oneself, as taught by Mario Monicelli’s masterpiece, Amici Miei, is a very widespread practice in Dante’s homeland. And so, posts on the topic have multiplied online. Among those who praised the proposal “which will be particularly appreciated by mosquitoes”, to those who suggested moving the hundreds of illegal African immigrants who, every day, deal drugs in the Cascine park to the islet. Finally, there are those who mentioned “Capercaillie” and the iconic final scene, in which Armando Feroci (alias Carlo Verdone) during an improvised political rally, proposes to drain the Tiber in Rome and transform it “into a long tongue of asphalt, with three lanes. And so we finally score” (strictly with only one r).

But, beyond the sarcasm, it is grotesque that among a thousand problems (safety, tramway, 30 km/h time limits, stadium) the progressives have thought of a floating island. Precisely on the tenth month since the disappearance of Kata, the Peruvian little girl swallowed up by the former Astor hotel, illegally occupied in the indifference of politics. A city tragedy that, evidently, they want to sweep away, like dust, under the carpet.

In the meantime, the final electoral maneuvers are being defined. Cecilia Del Re, former councilor ousted by Dario Nardella, after a long gestation, seems to have decided to run alongside Italia Viva and Stefania Saccardi. The 5 Star Movement is torn internally, but, barring last-minute surprises, the Grillini should support Sara Funaro. Authentic highways open to the left for Tomaso Montanari and Dmitrij Palagi, ready to gather the consensus of those who do not feel represented by this version of the Democratic Party. Late yesterday afternoon, Eike Schmidt finally announced the presentation party to the city, which will be held next Tuesday. “Magnificent Florence, it’s time”, this is the slogan for the centre-right candidate. Will he be the man of the turning point? Many, not just on the right, are convinced so. “Ei-Ke mayor” .