Sicilians say “no” to Rita Borsellino for the second time
- Euronews.it picture: Leoluca Orlando & Rita Borsellino
The surname Borsellino evidently did not convince people of Palermo, voting for the Mayoral center-left primary election; likewise Sicilians were not persuaded in 2006, when Toto Cuffaro defeated Rita in the Sicily’s regional elections.
To bear the surname Borsellino, anti-Mafia magistrate who was killed by a Mafia car bomb in Palermo, did not mean to be credible despite all.
The perception is that Palermitans believe that is not enough to be a “Borsellino” to administer the city, as well it is not enough to be the candidate of the Democratic Party to be chosen as a candidate in the municipal elections.
Rita, as it was for Anna Finocchiaro, and Leoluca Orlando, rather than remaining in Sicily after the electoral defeat in 2006, left for the more “attractive” European shores. Now after 6 years she thinks to have gained the support of the people and their votes.
The citizen of Palermo who went to vote in the primary of the Democratic Party were not long dazzled by last name that recalls a child of Sicily who died for Sicily in the name of Justice. The judge, martyred by the Mafia in fact did choose to remain in Palermo, determined until the last minute of his life to fight for justice and legal rights. The majority of Palermitans, voting for the Mayoral center-left primary election, have chosen their candidate, Ferrandelli, who has been very present on the island and not imposed from the political parties in Rome.
Is he the right candidate? Nobody knows, but surely he is the candidate of the people of the left in Palermo and not of Rome.
Michele Santoro
www.osservatorio-sicilia.it
This article has been translated in English by Nino Russo, Times of Sicily