# Sassuolo mayoral staff appointment dispute

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sassuolo-mayoral-staff-appointment-dispute
> Updated: 2026-09-07T22:14:45.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

A political dispute emerged in Sassuolo following Mayor Matteo Mesini’s appointment of Matteo Balestrazzi as Chief of Staff. The Democratic Party defended the selection as a transparent process based on professional merit and experience. However, the Fratelli d’Italia party criticized the move, questioning the necessity of the position amidst budget constraints and alleging the appointment was politically motivated due to Balestrazzi’s ties to the Democratic Party.

## Claims

- Mayor Matteo Mesini received threats on social media (single source)
- Between 700 and 750 school windows were broken during the May 28 hailstorm in Cremona (single source)
- The cost to repair broken school windows is estimated between 1.7 and 2 million euros (single source)
- Approximately 2,000 trees were damaged by the weather event (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-07: Gioia Tauro officials react to threats against Mayor Scarcella

Officials in Gioia Tauro are divided following serious intimidation threats against Mayor Simona Scarcella, with some calling for institutional protection and others criticizing her public rhetoric.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sassuolo-mayor-receives-threats-as-cremona-assesses-hailstorm-damage

### 2026-08-24: Sassuolo Mayor's staff appointment sparks political dispute

The appointment of Matteo Balestrazzi as Chief of Staff for Sassuolo Mayor Matteo Mesini has drawn criticism from the opposition over political ties and budget priorities.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sassuolo-administration-faces-criticism-over-new-staff-appointment

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Cite as: Sassuolo mayoral staff appointment dispute. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sassuolo-mayoral-staff-appointment-dispute