2027 municipal elections: Sala launches former Caritas director Luciano Gualzetti. Just a joke?

Milan, November 9, 2025 – Mayor Giuseppe Sala speaks early this morning at the conference “We and Caritas. The Church, the institutions, culture, the territory: ten years of collaboration” and partly to compliment him for what he has done , partly because he doesn't consider it such a far-fetched hypothesis , and partly to raise a smile from the audience, he suggests the former director of Caritas Luciano Gualzetti as a center-left mayoral candidate in the 2027 municipal elections .

Just a polite joke? Reporters ask the mayor if he was serious, and Sala doesn't shy away: " Did I really nominate Gualzetti? I don't know. It was certainly a joke. But it was based on the fact that Gualzetti has had an extraordinary experience. All things considered, then, if he were interested in running, it wouldn't be a bad thing. We're looking for new players. During the mission I took to Brazil a few days ago, there was a lot of talk about New York's new mayor, Zohran Mamdani. He made some very significant promises. It won't be easy for him. But it's an expression of a willingness to adapt to different times."

Aside from municipal elections and New York, the mayor also commented on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's joke about the CGIL (Italian General Confederation of Labour) always calling strikes on Fridays: " I don't agree with President Meloni's irony about the CGIL strike. Ultimately, the constitutional principles come back: strikes are a right. But, of course, it's right that they be carefully planned, because cities must continue to function." And regarding the flat tax for the super-rich, Sala expressed his support: "We need to get to work." Regarding the future of Milan, again at the Caritas conference, Archbishop Mario Delpini also weighed in: "I can't summarize one impression of this year. Perhaps you could say that the city is a bit restless. It means that there are forces working to do good, and also problems that are making ordinary life unsettled."

M.Min.