Edmondo Cirielli has set out key promises ahead of Campania’s regional election. He pledged an extra €100 a month for residents on minimum pensions. He said the money would come from regional funds.
Cirielli, 61, also vowed to boost employment and cut public health waiting times by half. He promised to resign immediately if he failed to achieve half of his goals by mid-mandate.
Cirielli represents Fratelli d’Italia and will face Roberto Fico. Fico is a senior figure in the Movimento 5 Stelle and served as speaker of the Chamber of Deputies from 2018 to 2022. He is supported by the M5S and the centre-left Partito Democratico. Both candidates hope to succeed outgoing governor Vincenzo De Luca, who cannot run again.
Cirielli’s pledges came ahead of a major rally in Naples. Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani attended the event. Meloni attacked both De Luca and Fico in a fiery speech. She urged supporters to promote Cirielli’s campaign. She criticised De Luca’s record on healthcare and mocked his past clashes with her. Meloni also labelled Fico a “turncoat”, citing his previous criticism of the PD.
Sangiuliano reemerges after scandal
The rally featured a lighter moment as Meloni and Tajani joined supporters chanting. The event also drew Gennaro Sangiuliano. He resigned as culture minister after a scandal involving his former adviser Maria Rosaria Boccia. Sangiuliano is running for a regional seat with the slogan “Make Naples Great Again”. Boccia briefly withdrew from the race but later returned.
Polls currently show Fico leading with 53 per cent support. Cirielli stands at 42 per cent. Meloni insisted the result is still open. Tajani predicted Cirielli would win. Salvini also voiced confidence.
The vote is crucial for the government. Meloni’s coalition governs 14 of Italy’s 20 regions. It hopes to add Campania to that list. The election will take place on 23–24 November alongside votes in Veneto and Puglia.
