La Gazzetta di Messelia

D’Ambrosio Emerges as Compromise Candidate
Marta Pezzaloni

Senators have will vote tomorrow on the candidacies of Vincenzo Cattaneo and Guido Alderisi

Messelia. Privy Councillor Elena D’Ambrosio has gained strength as a possible compromise candidate for the position of First Councillor, as frontrunners Vincenzo Cattaneo and Guido Alderisi have failed to garner enough support within the Green Coalition.

Last Monday the Senate formed a majority coalition, led by the Alliance for Sustainable Development and comprised of the Social Progress Party, the Youth Movement, the Liberal Party and the Socialist Party. Called the Green Coalition, it has an increased share of the vote, compared to the previous one, and a clear mandate to tackle national security and implement environmental and business reforms.

While the various agreements necessary to form the coalition were being drafted and signed, party leaders met on Wednesday to discuss the confidence vote for a First Councillor. While no details of that meeting were officially released, sources close to the Leader of the Youth Senate Party indicate that neither Mr Cattaneo nor Mr Alderisi enjoyed the confidence of those in attendance. Mr Cattaneo was seen as too overly political and career driven, while Mr Alderisi was considered to lack the necessary public sector credentials to effectively lead the government.

Sources close to the leadership of the Social Progress Party and the Liberal Party indicate that Privy Councillor Eliana D’Ambrosio, the widely popular Director of the Royal Institute of Neurological Research, is being discussed as a possible compromise.

Ms D’Ambrosio has not expressed any interest in the position, and her national security credentials are scant, but she is one of the most trusted public officials, according to a survey by Chierana University that placed her trust at 82%. She has received much credit for the various, and at times politically challenging, reforms she implemented during her time as Health Councillor under Marco Valerio, which might work to her benefit, portraying her as an able administrator with the necessary skills to navigate the political scene.

It is expected that the Senate will vote on the candidacies of Mr Cattaneo and Mr Alderisi on Wednesday, as well as that of Giacomo Bertucci, the symbolic candidate from the Opposition. If they both fail to garner the required majority, the Senate will again accept nominations from its members. It is expected that Ms D’Ambrosio, who would obtain the required minimum of 25 nominations to be added to the candidates list, might be the sole candidate for the Green Coalition, and would receive enough votes to obtain the confidence of the Senate.