Edmondo Cirielli sparks center-right tension with praise for Roberto Fico

Edmondo Cirielli, a deputy minister and prominent member of Fratelli d'Italia, has sparked internal tension within the Italian center-right following unexpected praise for Campania Governor Roberto Fico. Cirielli suggested that Fico is effectively dismantling the power system previously established by former governor Vincenzo De Luca, even hinting at the possibility of a political alliance.

This endorsement drew sharp criticism from Roberto Vannacci, leader of Futuro Nazionale, who attacked Cirielli by describing him as “destra fluida e slavata” (fluid and washed-out right). Additionally, Amedeo Laboccetta, president of “Polo Sud,” criticized the move as lacking concrete foundations. Laboccetta argued that Cirielli’s perspective may be limited to his home territory of Salerno and suggested the endorsement might be a strategic electoral maneuver rather than a sincere political shift.