Splits, new groups, and alliances: how the city council of Palermo is changing, between loyalty to symbols and shifts between parties

There are groups that have remained the same as four years ago, others that have been completely transformed, and still others that have slowly dwindled to nothing until disappearing. There are councilors who have remained loyal to the symbol with which they were elected and others who have changed parties.

With just over one year to go until the next round of local elections, the picture of the city council is very different from the initial snapshot. Except for FdI and M5s, the only two groups that have not undergone changes (excluding the replacement of Fabrizio Ferrara, a Melonian elected to the Ars and replaced at Palazzo delle Aquile by Teresa Leto). It is the Dc that has undergone the most mutations. In 2022, the list of former Cuffarian members included the “promotions” of Imperiale, Bonanno, and Raja. This group has made acquisitions over the years, with Puma and Di Maggio transitioning from their ranks, and Rappa joining (elected on the Lagalla list). Imperiale and Rappa remain. Puma (elected in Forza Italia, moved first to Fratelli d’Italia and then to the Dc) and Di Maggio (brought to the council by the Lega) left in January, creating the group Forza Palermo under the leadership of former councilor Andrea Mineo. The latest, in chronological order, are Bonanno and Raja, who after a few months in the limbo of the mixed group created Generazione Palermo.

Azione with Calenda no longer exists, as it had aligned itself with the candidacy for mayor of Fabrizio Ferrandelli. The elected members have taken opposite directions: Ferrandelli is a councilor, Forello and Argiroffi are the soul of the group Oso, Canto has joined the group Lavoriamo per Palermo, one of the civic lists supporting Lagalla. To this latter group, Abbate and Dario Chinnici have remained loyal, but in light of emigrating councilors, they have recovered some members.

Forza Italia has lost one councilor, from seven to six. Zacco and Puma have left, but the blues have “gained” Alotta, elected in Lavoriamo per Palermo. The Pd has also lost one councilor, but its morphology has changed: from the original elected members, Piccione and Arcoleo remain, Teresi has entered, taking the seat of Lupo elected in Brussels, and Di Gangi has joined. Carmelo Miceli is now registered in the mixed group along with Giaconia. The exit of Di Gangi and Giaconia has thinned the ranks of Progetto Palermo, and after the replacement of Valentina Chinnici with Alberto Mangano (who registered with Giambrone, a former Pd member, in the Avs group), only Franco Miceli remains in the group. The Lega maintains three councilors, in addition to Figuccia and Anello, it has lost the replacement for Marianna Caronia, Salvatore Di Maggio, but has recruited Mancuso, among those who left Lavoriamo per Palermo.