European elections/ “Agcom penalizes the South, calls the North”: Cateno De Luca writes to Mattarella

European elections/ “Agcom is distorting the European elections by penalizing the Libertà list: it does not apply the principles set out in its own resolution”. The appeal of the South Call North leader Cateno De Luca and the president Laura Castelli to Mattarella

Clash between the Communications Regulatory Authority (Agcom) and the party South Calls North Of Cateno De Lucarunning in the European elections on 8 and 9 June with the Freedom List. In the center there media visibility which the Freedom list, placed on a par with Peace, Earth and Dignity and Popular Alternative, despite having all the requirements, is not receiving. In this way, “the Authority risks distort electionsnot applying the principles set out in its own resolution”. For this reason Cateno De Lucaleader of the South calls North and federation of the Libertà e list Laura CastelliPresident of the South calls North, they appeal today to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarellarequesting help and immediate intervention to restore “balance”.

“Most illustrious President Sergio Mattarella, we write to you, guarantor of our Constitutional charter, as a very serious event is happening which, strongly affecting the media visibility of our list, risks distorting the European elections which will take place next week, 8 and 9 June. Agcom, the authority for communications guarantees, in enunciating a clear criterion in RESOLUTION N. 90/24/CONS, did not then adopt it in the table distributed in the attachment to all telecommunications operators. Or rather: he adopted it for everyone except for the Libertà list”, denounce De Luca and Castelli.

Thus, in fact, article 8 paragraph 4 of the resolution states, “‘The times are evaluated taking into account the number of votes obtained in the last elections for the renewal of the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the number of seats available to it, on the date of calling of the elections elections referred to in this provision at the European Parliament and/or at the national Parliament, and, in the period following the presentation of the candidatures, also in proportion to the overall number of constituencies in which the political entity has presented candidatures”.

In this specific case, in fact, explain De Luca-Castelli, “in the table that Agcom attaches, the % equal to zero and the playing time equal to zero are attributed to 3 lists: Freedom, Peace, Earth and Dignity and Popular Alternative. This choice by the authority not only completely eliminates the television presence time of 3 lists, but with respect to the Freedom list it does not even respect the need to distinguish those lists that obtained votes in the renewal of the Chamber of Deputies and obtained seats in Parliament national“.

In fact, they recall, “the Freedom list, presented by the South calls North party – De Luca Mayor of Italy, has the exemption from collecting signatures precisely because at the renewal of the National Parliament it elected 2 MPs, obtaining approximately 300 thousand votes. Therefore it is clear that he would be entitled to different treatment compared to Popular Alternative and Peace, Earth and Dignity. Given these facts, it is clear to us that the Libertà list, present in all constituencies, has been seriously damaged to date. It is not acceptable to receive the same playing time on television and radio as the “Peace, Earth and Dignity” list and the “Popular Alternative” list as they do not have the same requirements set out in the art. 8 paragraph 4“.

“We ask for protective intervention so that the relevant bodies take immediate action to compensate and restore fair treatment towards the Freedom List, in line with constitutional principles. We think it is our duty to have reassigned the time that has been illegitimately taken away from us in recent weeks. We appeal to you, President Mattarella, to ensure that Italy does not stand out in a European context as a country with a regime that, instead of protecting pluralism, suppresses it“, conclude Cateno De Luca and Laura Castelli.