Rome, Gualtieri is running for mayor again and opens the doors to M5s and Action

“Rome, everyone ahead”. With this slogan, Mayor Roberto Gualtieri opened the campaign for the second mandate in the Capitol at the Auditorium della Conciliazione, in view of the 2027 municipal elections. «I have decided to run again to continue to change the city. With people at the centre", he said from the stage. He claimed "a great capital of trust" and explained that the experience as mayor also changed his "relationship with people".

The political fact of the day is the composition of the audience. In the room there were the forces that support the Capitoline majority: Pd, Avs with Green Europe and Italian Left, Ecologist Civic Left, Demos, Italia viva, Più Uno, as well as associations and committees. Next to them sat the delegations of two parties now in opposition. Present for the 5 Star Movement were the Roman coordinator Linda Meleo, the deputy Francesco Silvestri and the Capitoline group, except the former mayor Virginia Raggi. For Action there were the Roman secretary Alessio D'Amato, the deputy Valentina Grippo and the city councilors.

Gualtieri addressed them directly. He thanked them for "the way they interpreted the opposition" and for having started "a dialogue, a common path". The declared objective goes beyond strengthening the current majority: «My objective is that the friends of the M5s and Action present here can be part of this challenge», for a coalition that is «broad, inclusive, and open to multiple political forces». According to the mayor, the transformation of the city "must continue and at the same time must be increasingly broad and participatory". For now the two parties have not formally joined.

The mayor indicated three fronts on the program, all linked to the relationship with the government. On housing, he hoped for "another government" capable of launching "another housing plan". He also asked Europe to intervene and force national governments to take action when there are cities or regions in difficulty. On the climate he defined the right as "retrograde" and indicated "depaving and putting in more greenery" as a priority. On mobility, he announced that he will ask the government for resources for "shamefully abandoned" public transport. He then attacked the new highway code: in his opinion it would reduce the safety of pedestrians and "takes away power and autonomy from Municipalities and Regions".

In the front row sat Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein. On the sidelines he guaranteed "full support" to the mayor, also in the "effort to further broaden the majority". For the Democratic Party, among others, Nicola Zingaretti, Beatrice Lorenzin, Matteo Orfini and the Roman and regional secretaries of the party, Enzo Foschi and Daniele Leodori, were present. Italia viva was represented by Roberto Giachetti, Luciano Nobili and Marianna Madia.