Milan Mayoral Hopeful Calabresi Attacks Government and His Own Left

Mario Calabresi, journalist and aspiring center-left candidate for Milan's 2027 mayoral election, launched broad attacks on the government and his own coalition at the Leopolda event in Florence on October 3, 2026, receiving endorsement from Matteo Renzi. Calabresi criticized the Meloni government's School Decree for redistributing foreign students beyond classroom quotas, saying "there are no guilty children to scatter around." Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara responded that Calabresi "starts with the wrong foot" and accused him of fueling "fake news." Addressing the center-left, Calabresi rejected the "left of schoolteachers" attitude, arguing that when people express fear about security, politicians must listen rather than tell them they are wrong. He also called for "firefighters, not arsonists" in institutions, criticizing right-wing narratives that "ignite" fears about Milan's safety.