Benevento opposition boycotts council meetings amid transparency concerns

Opposition members of the Benevento City Council have announced a formal protest following the Santamaria investigation, which implicated municipal employees and the President of the City Council, Renato Parente. Led by Democratic Party group leader Floriana Fioretti, the opposition coalition—including representatives from Città Aperta, AVS, Civico 22, and Civici e Riformisti—will cease participation in council commissions and group leader conferences to protest what they describe as a “management of power” characterized by indifference to the investigation's findings.

Simultaneously, the civic committee Benevento Partecipa has formally petitioned the municipality's General Secretary, Maria Luisa Dovetto, demanding improvements in transparency and legality. The committee cited difficulties in accessing documentation regarding photovoltaic projects, biomethane plants, and city parking systems. They expressed disappointment with the current anti-corruption plan (PIAO 2026-2028), arguing it fails to provide a deep enough analysis of vulnerabilities exposed by recent corruption events within the administration.