It's election season with the voting date imminent on Saturday for both the European parliament positions and, more importantly locally, the mayor's race.
In true Italian style, the city has seen a flurry of road re-pavement, roundabout projects be completed in record time and, generally, beautiful city management in the last few months. This all started happening in January, 6 months before the elections and the end of a 5-year term for a mayor who hasn't done much that was noteworthy except build a temporary wall on Via Anelli and push out the foreign presence living there.
In fact, the story of that wall made international news, including front-page news on the BBC's website shortly after installation. That exposure was not kind on the city of Padua. It was treated as a racist gesture that should have been embarassing for the city administration.
The city has been spruced up recently to remind its voters that they should re-elect Zanonato, the current mayor of the left-wing party. On paper, he is from the left but his actions, especially regarding the immigrants, seemed more of a move on the part of the right-wing.
Anyway last night, a stage was set-up in Piazza Signori with a yiddish music concert organized for Padua. The flags flying on the poles around the piazza displayed its sponsor: Zanonato. It was very entertaining. I just wish these politicians would host an event like this even in the middle of their term in office as simply a plain gift to the city citizens.
Viva i politici!
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