Calabria municipal merger law debate

In early July 2026 a regional referendum on a subsecretary amendment to Law 15/2006 sparked a political clash in Calabria, highlighting divergent views over the future of the law that governs municipal mergers and associations.

By the end of the month, the regional council, led by councillor Enzo Bruno of the Tridico Presidente group, announced a pause to the rapid repeal effort. The proposal will now be examined by the Institutional Affairs Commission on 7 August, and the mayor of Corigliano‑Rossano, Flavio Stasi, will be heard in September before any further council debate. Opposition members criticized the initial push as a procedural “blitz” that ignored municipal interests. The council also noted that the law’s special funding for newly formed municipalities has not been allocated since 2018, and the associated territorial re‑ordering programme has never been adopted. The next steps will assess why funding stopped, evaluate impacts on affected towns, and consider updating the law rather than outright removal.