Confindustria, Federchimica do not comment. Gozzi in the balance
The competition for the leadership of Confindustria is going through a crucial phase. The key representatives of the association completed consultations at Federchimica yesterday, today they are visiting Padua and on Monday they will close the consultation tour in Naples, listening to opinions from various territories and industrial sectors. It is possible to make a preliminary assessment of the position of the four aspirants: Edoardo Garrone, Antonio Gozzi, Alberto Marenghi and Emanuele Orsini. Il Corriere della Sera writes it.
Garrone guaranteed his place in the April 4 vote by submitting over 2,000 signatures of support, especially from the North West, in particular from Piedmont and a part of Lombardy, including Assolombarda, an important territorial association. Orsini appears to enjoy 20% support, coming mainly from Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Unindustria Lazio, Trento and Bolzano, Sardinia, Sicily and Confindustria Ceramica. The third candidate, Antonio Gozzi, stands at around 15% consensus, with the support of Brescia, Bergamo, Naples, Taranto, Ancona, as well as industrial sectors such as graphic paper, Assovetro, Federacciai and Federlegno. Finally, Alberto Marenghi seems to have less than 5% support within the assembly.
Assolombarda has announced its support for Garrone’s candidacy, while it is being discussed whether state-owned companies will participate in the vote or not. At the moment, Federchimica and Farmindustria have not taken a clear position, and the same attitude is expected from Confindustria Veneto Est and Confindustria Vicenza. These votes could have been crucial for Gozzi in exceeding 20% approval, but it seems that this will not be the case.
On March 21st it will be the wise men’s turn to decide who will have access to the vote of the general council on April 4th, and exclusion will not be automatic for those who do not reach 20% support. This will open a new phase of the competition, where the candidates will have to win the 185 votes of the general council one by one. It is important to note that the support of publicly controlled companies could be decisive, although at the moment it seems that the Ministry of Economy prefers to remain neutral, given the uncertainties of the situation. However, the race to obtain the support of large companies such as Enel, Eni or Fincantieri has already begun. The candidates will compete on March 14th in an event organized by Confindustria Lombardia.