Tension in the Milanese centre-left: Sala and Majorino discuss concrete and urban regeneration

Tension is rising in the Milanese centre-left in view of the 2027 administrative elections, with Giuseppe Sala and Pierfrancesco Majorino discussing the transformation of the city. What triggered the back-and-forth was a video from the PD group leader in the Region in which he effectively made official his willingness to run as a candidate for mayor and spoke of "too much concrete" in Milan and the weight of real estate funds.

"This story of overbuilding is a hoax, I wouldn't know how to define it differently", said Sala, then announcing that he wanted to step aside so as not to fuel internal divisions. "I'm surprised by Beppe Sala's reaction", was Majorino's reply.

In the video, the leader of the Dem group in the Region announced the appointment on 22 October in which he will present his program for the city, putting housing, greenery and urban regeneration at the centre. "Milan is the frenetic city of its many construction sites, but there is too much concrete," he said, criticizing the weight of large real estate funds.

Sala responded by citing once again the study by Professor Stefano Salata of the Polytechnic which speaks of an increase in the built volume of 0.37% in ten years, while that of greenery would have grown by 20%. "If this can allow Majorino to talk about overbuilding then everyone is free," he said, inviting him to show any different studies and discuss the numbers.

“Cities are dense and it is normal for them to be dense, let's deal with social equity, with the cost of housing,” Sala added. "There is a criticism of how the public should manage the relationship with the private sector, we can think about it, but not in slogans." And then the more political passage. "It seems to me that I am more of a hindrance than a support to Majorino," Sala said.

"Since the worst thing is to create further divisions in the center-left, I am stepping aside, it is the last comment I will make, I will not comment on anything again", he added. The mayor also recalled the role Majorino had in centre-left administrations: he was councilor for social policies from 2011 to 2019, first with Giuliano Pisapia and then with Sala himself. "If there is overbuilding, it started 15 years ago, 7 of his years as councilor", he underlined.

Majorino reiterated that his speech aims to be "a positive and constructive contribution that looks to the future". "I am convinced that a more substantive debate will be useful to everyone," he added. According to the dem "that we should invest even more than what we have done, in terms of urban regeneration, green areas, houses for the middle class, is what is written in practically all the documents of the municipal council".

"I believe it is also necessary to identify a perspective and a program that sees us working on the merits, as well as playing on names or positions or who is with whom", commented the deputy mayor Anna Scavuzzo, also among the possible center-left candidates for the next local elections.