Piemontese Idea: If Decaro were to withdraw from the race, he would be the first governor of Foggia since 1970.

If Antonio Decaro were to actually decide to step back, a power vacuum would open up in the Apulian center-left, potentially bringing Capitanata back to the forefront. The scenario, reported today by Repubblica Bari , is no longer a political fantasy. Tensions with Michele Emiliano and Nichi Vendola , both intending to run for councilor in the upcoming regional elections, have exacerbated the climate among the center-left's bigwigs, making the idea that Decaro will abandon the presidential race increasingly credible.

A move that would change everything. And it would open the way to alternative candidates, including Raffaele Piemontese , current vice president of the Region with responsibility for health. A strongman from the Foggia area, originally from Monte Sant'Angelo, he's a key figure in the province's institutions, a province that hasn't elected a president since 1970. He could now aspire to a leading role, filling a decades-long absence.

A match that needs to be rewritten

In the succession game, Francesco Boccia , Democratic Party group leader in the Senate, remains the most popular: popular with businesses, esteemed by Elly Schlein , and already enjoying initial approval among the Puglia center-left. But close scrutiny is also being given to Mesagne mayor Toni Matarrelli , re-elected with 90 percent of the vote and currently president of the Province of Brindisi. Among the possible candidates is Loredana Capone , president of the Regional Council, who served as a key councilor under both Vendola and Emiliano.

Among this list of authoritative figures, Piemontese represents a solid and identifiable option for the north of the region, especially if Decaro's resignation were to lead to a more balanced geographical distribution of territorial leadership.

Decaro, the European road and the dreams of a federator

But why should Decaro give up a candidacy that, in the polls, shows him as the most desired by the left? Because his trajectory today looks far beyond Bari. As chair of the European Parliament's Environment Committee, he engages with heads of state and manages strategic dossiers such as the future of the former Ilva steelworks and climate policies. He is the only one, Repubblica emphasizes, truly countering the right-wing assault on the European Green Deal.

In a year, the vice-presidency of the European Parliament awaits him. And considering that he received the most votes among the Democrats, leading the largest socialist contingent in Brussels, it's not out of the question that he could even aspire to Roberta Metsola 's current seat. In this scenario, Decaro would become a figure capable of holding his own against Giorgia Meloni and reuniting a currently fragmented reformist camp. So much so that there's already talk of a possible rise to the party's top leadership, spurred on by those disillusioned with the Schlein line: from Paolo Gentiloni to Lorenzo Guerini , all the way up to Stefano Bonaccini .

Some are even speculating about Matteo Renzi 's return to the Democratic Party if he were to become its leader. Although it might not be necessary: Giuseppe Conte , leader of the Five Star Movement, appreciates and encourages him, seeing him as a potential unifier capable of uniting progressive souls without displacing the current leader.

The thorns in the center-left and the impasse to be resolved

The situation is far from straightforward. Emiliano's departure from the regional scene—he would first have to return to the judiciary to run for the Senate—leaves a difficult void to manage. The veto on Vendola 's return, moreover, risks straining relations with AVS , a valuable coalition partner.

Decaro has said several times: "I ran for the European Parliament, not for the presidency of the Region." And the data speaks for itself: he was also the first elected in Abruzzo, Molise, Calabria, and Basilicata. They certainly didn't vote for him to lead another region.

In Puglia, however, a new synthesis is needed. Cristian Casili , regional councilor for the Five Star Movement, also calls for it: "We need new energy and a change of pace compared to a legislature that has become a museum over time and has achieved little." But, he admits, "it's an internal dispute within the Democratic Party. And they have to find the synthesis."

Meanwhile, Capitanata watches. And hopes. If the wide-open field truly wants to be reborn, Piemontese could be the face of change starting in northern Puglia.

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