In Ancona, Ricci's speech: "Change starts here, let's send the right wing packing."

Ancona, July 12, 2025 –

"I come from a humble family. My inspiration is my paternal grandfather, who spent years working his ass off ten meters underground in the Charleroi mine (in Belgium, ed. ). An underdog? I'm someone who came through the ranks, raised on bread and politics, and so I represent my Marche region against the squadrism, money, and power of this right-wing fascist regime." Matteo Ricci , presidential candidate for next fall's regional elections, is sharpening his claws and getting serious. In Ancona's most central square, he called on the center-left to rally from across the Marche region, and, in part, the people responded.

The crowds did, however, turn out, and the sight of Piazza Roma last night revealed for the first time the waving of usually hostile flags. With the Democratic Party , leader of the center-left coalition aiming to overthrow the regional government of Francesco Acquaroli and the right, the colors of peace and political movements stood out, never so many on the left together.

The Five Star Movement with regional coordinator Giorgio Fede and regional councilor Marta Ruggeri, representatives of the Green Left Alliance, and then Italia Viva, + Europa, Possibile, the Italian Socialist Party, up to Demos, Solidarity Democracy, and the Communist Refoundation Party.

"Never before has a coalition been so broad and united, a first for the Marche," said Ricci, wearing a white shirt, tie, and blue trousers. "It's as broad as the program itself—56 pages—and that's the percentage we'll reach. It wasn't easy to include everyone, a long and deliberate process, but now everyone recognizes themselves in my leadership. Our values? The Resistance and the Constitution. The right is focused on power, while our eyes are on the least fortunate, on those who can't make it." It's mid-July, and the date of the Marche regional elections is still unknown.

Matteo Ricci's supporters in the square in Ancona

"They want to vote on September 21st, instead of following Tuscany's lead—a common-sense solution—and hold elections in late October. Perhaps because they know something will happen in October. They're afraid of losing, and even if they let us vote on August 15th, they'll still lose."

Shortly before the rally began, which brought representatives of all the center-left forces to the stage in Ancona, Democratic Party MP Laura Boldrini, from Vallesina, arrived in Piazza Roma. From the top of the stage, constructed from the trailer of a special truck, a privileged view awaited. "An extraordinary square, a people who refuse to accept the mediocrity of those who go to Rome with their heads down. On our side, we have the people of the Marche who put the interests of the community first. Day after day, we will widen the gap with the right, thanks also to those who had placed their trust in it and were then disappointed," Ricci concluded.