If any of you thought the race to select the host city of Eurovision 2022 was deprived of drama, you don’t really know Southern Europe.
Naples mayor blamed for not trying to host Eurovision 2022
On Tuesday, RAI released the list of cities aiming to host the contest next year but there was one big admission. Naples, one of Italy’s biggest and most well-known cities, wasn’t among them.
The city’s mayor, Luigi di Magistris, has been blamed for the city’s absence. Organisation Rinascimiento Partenopeo, which is backing another candidate for the city’s mayor, has accused the current sindaco of “not loving Naples”.
The organization’s president, Riccardo Guarino, said: “Another lost chance. Another one, sadly, because of an administration that doesn’t love Naples and doesn’t want to use the best opportunities it has to put the city in the spotlight”.
It is worth pointing out that Di Magistris, who will soon step down as mayor, had never expressed interest in Eurovision. However, the city’s Councilor of Youth, Alessandra Clemente, promised to work to host the contest.
A Napoli! Lavorerò per questo ?? @thisismaneskin complimenti @ESCitanews #Napoli2022 https://t.co/Fiovvy31DM
— Alessandra Clemente (@ale_clem) May 23, 2021
Clemente will enter the local elections, scheduled for October, with the aim of succeeding Di Magistris. She’s expected to face competition from Catello Maresca. Rinascimiento Partenopeo is backing him. Eurovision is now a local issue in Naples. When has that been the case in your city?
In a statement reported by VesuvioLive.it, Clemente explained that there were no suitable venues in the city to host Eurovision 2022. “There was a big desire to take part in the tender, and we had worked to see if we could meet the severe conditions required by EBU”, she explained. However, the city couldn’t make it.
However, that has not stopped other cities from entering the race. In fact, the resort town of Jesolo entered without meeting the criteria.
Eurovision 2022: Only three cities believed to meet the criteria
We also reported how many Italian media are claiming that only three out of 17 cities meet the requirements: Bologna, Milan and Turin. That even excludes the capital, Rome. You can read more about it here:
Naples previously hosted Eurovision in 1965. The city’s past was linked to the contest, as France Gall won there with her massive hit “Poupée de cire, Poupée de son”. 56 years later, Eurovision has become a matter of debate in the local council. Will it be a topic in the pre-electoral debate?
Would you have liked Naples to apply to host Eurovision 2022? Which city is your favourite? Where are we heading to next year? Let us know in the comment section below!
Naples could have been simply fantastic. As an Italian, not from Naples, i think this city is the cradle of italian culture. And a tourist can find all the stereotypes we are used to like: food, pizza and pasta mainly (they were born there); fashion (Napolitan tailoring is a jewel); music well known in the States with songs like “tu vuo fa l’americano” e.g.; theatre with Antonio de Curtis, well known as Totò, the talented and stunning Sophia Loren from Pozzuoli; architecture in a beautiful baroque; PRESEPIO (the Nativity) which is a must of the italian culture for the Christmas… Read more »
Dirtiest city I ever visited in my life. Trash everywhere. Why would people want Naples to host ?
Actually I love this kind of drama made by the Italians:) It raises attention and make Eurovision even more popular, especially among Italians who barely know what in fact Eurovision is. I think we will see a lot of dramas and Italian soap opera in coming year which makes the new Eurovision season even more spicy, especially after last-year dull season. Forza Italia!!:)
I don’t really blame them…I appreciate the enthusiasm of all the cities that applyed but it’s undeniable that most of them did it for publicity despite the awareness of their proposal’s critical points. If Naple doesn’t feel like participating in an inevitable lost race, it is understandable.
Naples were always the most interesting city to me for ESC 2021.
Naples is the most beautiful city in Europe with a creative and full of musicality people but they don’t have what it takes and they should focus on the bigger fish in their tank…