Claudio de Magistris named Naples municipal assessor, prompting M5S split

President Sandro Fucito of Naples' VI Municipalità appointed Claudio de Magistris—brother of former mayor Luigi de Magistris—as the new assessor for culture, sport, tourism, digitalisation and related urban initiatives, replacing Antonio Mastroianni.

The decision triggered an immediate backlash from the local Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S), which declared the move a breach of the coalition's electoral mandate and announced it would no longer support Fucito. The party also criticised the appointment as a political maneuver ahead of the upcoming municipal elections. Fucito, in turn, accused the central city administration (Palazzo San Giacomo) of repeatedly pre‑empting the municipal authority in the organisation of the annual Festa dei Gigli, describing it as a third consecutive act of prevarication. The dispute highlights growing tensions within Naples' centre‑left governing coalition.