Naples, June 20, 2026 – Dozens of mayors, adorned with their tricolor sashes, convened this morning in front of the Naples Prefecture to declare a resounding “enough” to the intimidation targeting local administrators across Italy. The first citizens directly addressed government representatives, urging them not to be left alone in their administrative duties. They emphatically reiterated that every act of intimidation against them is a blow to the democracy of their territories.
ANCI and Avviso Pubblico Present Alarming Data on Intimidation
The initiative, promoted by ANCI Nazionale, ANCI Campania, Avviso Pubblico, the Municipality of Naples, and the Prefecture of Naples, saw a panel of speakers including Gaetano Manfredi, Mayor of Naples and President of ANCI Nazionale; Roberto Montà, President of Avviso Pubblico; Francesco Morra, President of ANCI Campania; Vincenzo Cuomo, Councillor for Territorial Governance and Heritage of the Campania Region; and Wanda Ferro, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Interior.
“This morning we presented the data from our Report, which continues to be alarming, especially in certain areas of our country. This is a violent pressure that should not be underestimated. Behind these brutal actions are not only the interests of organized crime, but sometimes also those rooted in the social and economic contexts of the affected territories,” stated Giuseppe Politanò, Vice President of Avviso Pubblico and Deputy Mayor of Polistena. “Behind every intimidation there is an attempt to bend the freedom of institutions and influence their choices. Local administrators, especially in small municipalities, are often on the front line and deserve not only solidarity but concrete tools of protection. For this reason, it is important that when a mayor, an official, a public employee is attacked, the entire citizenry, political forces, the press, and all other significant actors in society mobilize,” Politanò concluded.
One Threat Every 28 Hours: A National Crisis
The data paints a sobering picture that demands reflection. One threat every 28 hours: 309 cases in 2025, spanning from Bolzano to Porto Palo di Capo Passero. Over 1,500 kilometers of Italy are targeted by a barrage of intimidation and aggression against mayors, councilors, municipal and regional councilors, and public administration employees. These are staggering figures, illustrating how, in certain territories, being a mayor is a difficult and sometimes dangerous job. From 2010 to 2026, the lives of 1,736 Italian municipalities have been marked by a long trail of violence, including threatening letters, arson, insults, and even assaults. A total of 6,025 incidents. The average is 376 intimidations per year, 31 per month, one every day.
Regional Disparities and Common Intimidation Tactics
Arson continues to be the most prevalent form of intimidation in the South, while in the Center-North, threatening letters, messages, and social media threats prevail. One in four cases originates from the discontent of individual citizens regarding administrative decisions deemed unwelcome.
Puglia, with 51 recorded cases, was the most affected region in 2025, followed by Campania with 37 incidents, Sicily (35), and Calabria (32).
Naples has once again become the most targeted province for acts of intimidation, with 16 cases distributed across 11 municipalities. In the provincial ranking, Lecce (15), Palermo (14), Reggio Calabria (11), Cosenza, Agrigento, and Padova (10) follow.
One statistic remains almost constant: in the majority of cases, smaller municipalities are affected, with 57% in towns under 20,000 inhabitants, 22% in municipalities between 20,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, and the remaining 21% in those with over 50,000 inhabitants.
Over 16 years of data collection by Avviso Pubblico, 57% of cases have been recorded in the four regions where so-called historical mafias originated: Sicily, Calabria, Campania, and Puglia. The central regions (11.5%) and the North-West (11.4%) were more targeted than the North-East (9% of cases).
The top four most affected provinces-Naples, Cosenza, Reggio Calabria, and Palermo-alone accounted for 20% of the intimidations recorded nationwide during the reference period.
These figures confirm that threats against administrators and public officials continue to represent a serious factor in polluting democratic life and the proper functioning of local institutions.
Source: telemia.it
