Castellammare – Following the second extraordinary dissolution of the City Council in four years, the "Democrats and Progressives" list has written to Regional President Roberto Fico and Metropolitan Mayor Gaetano Manfredi.
The proposal: an "Agreement for Castellammare" and technical support from Sviluppo Campania and Invitalia to save public works, the spa, Fincantieri, and the waterfront.
The threat of losing funds: over 50 million already lost or at risk
The alarm raised by Castellammare di Stabia goes far beyond the local political process. With a detailed letter sent two days ago to the President of the Campania Region, Roberto Fico, and the Mayor of the Metropolitan City of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, the political grouping "Democrats and Progressives" marked a turning point in the debate on the future of the city of Stabia.
The city finds itself in a dramatic institutional situation: the dissolution of the city council decreed on July 16, 2026 (following the report unanimously approved by the Public Order Committee in May) has triggered yet another two-year special administration for Camorra influence. This is the second anti-mafia measure in just four years.
This democratic fragility and the resulting "administrative disorder" threaten to paralyze the city's financial engine. The imminent danger is the inability of the local authority under special administration to meet stringent deadlines, with the devastating effect of seeing funding tied to the PNRR, the Institutional Development Contract (CIS), and other European and regional strategic guidelines revoked.
The dossier retraces with stark clarity the accumulated delays:
Funds already revoked: €15 million allocated to the Savorito neighborhood to remove old prefabricated buildings from the 80 earthquake, and €35 million in government funding for work on the Porto Antico and Fincantieri shipyard.
Antiche Terme (€12 million): Funded in 2022, the tender was only recently announced. To save the first lot, the contract must be signed by December 31st, while the second lot appears to be completely lacking in funding.
PRIUS Program (€13 million): Awarded by the Campania Region for the system of medium-sized cities on the "Vesuvius Coast," it requires immediate verification and operational unblocking.
Waste Node: A contract worth approximately €60 million over 5 years was awarded in 2023 to a single bidder and with contractual constraints (such as the operational headquarters and the percentage of waste separated) that were not met.
The institutional proposal: an "Agreement for Castellammare" with Invitalia and Sviluppo Campania
Aware that an Extraordinary Commission alone lacks the political and technical staff to manage an investment volume of over half a billion euros, the Democrats and Progressives propose a structural solution to Fico and Manfredi: the signing of an "Agreement for Castellammare."
The proposal calls for direct intervention by the Region and the Metropolitan City to support the Municipality through the operational presence of Sviluppo Campania and Invitalia. These public bodies would be entrusted with technical direction, coordination of procedures, and expediting tenders. This "institutional support" model is also intended as a best practice to be exported to other municipalities under mafia-related administration to prevent the collapse of public services and works.
The six strategic axes for the rebirth of the city
The analytical note attached to the letter identifies six priority areas requiring urgent action:
Ports, Shipyards, and Waterfront: Creation of the Sea Park, integrating the €400 million allocated by the Region for the reclamation of the Sarno River. Revitalization of the Fincantieri shipyard with the repositioning of the basin into the sea (a project estimated at over €500 million, with government funding) and demolition of the old silos in the Old Port. Unblocking and reviewing the development plan for Marina di Stabia, demanding the return to the city of the 12.000 square meters of beach designated for the sailing school.
Spas and Healthcare: Integration of spas and the new healthcare network, centered around the New Hospital (€200 million investment). Protection of hydrothermal resources (Vanacore springs) and enhancement of public assets recovered by the Region (Parco dei Cigni, Villa Ersilia, Congress Center).
Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (Reprogramming of the "Greater Pompeii" Plan): The document highlights that the "Greater Pompeii" plan allocated only 15% of its spending to areas outside the main excavations. One year after the program's conclusion, the Development Contract is being restructured to create a network for the archaeological area and establish the Stabiae Archaeological Park (Villa San Marco, Villa Arianna, Grotta di San Biagio, and the excavation of Villa del Pastore), along with the full use of Quisisana.
Urban Regeneration of Neighborhoods: Completion of the project in the Savorito district (where the current contract covers only 96 of the 189 planned apartments) and regeneration of the CMI through €200 million in regional construction funds and collaboration with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.
Monte Faito and Hydrogeological Protection: A firm timeline has been established for the reconstruction and restoration of the cable car (after the serious accident), reopening of the access road to Faito, combating landslides, and establishing the Monti Lattari e delle Acque Park.
Mobility and Transport: Definition of a proposal for the Castellammare-Torre Annunziata railway line, clarification on the EAV tunnel on Via Nocera, reopening of the Antiche Terme station, and inclusion of the city in the itineraries of Fondazione FS's historic trains.
Overcoming electoral 'bandwagons' and the consensus trap
The text also offers a profound political reflection on the causes that led to the institutional crisis. The practice of "cluttered" coalitions or "electoral wagons," assembled in the June 2024 elections for the sole purpose of winning without a shared platform and by fielding heterogeneous civic lists, is identified as the direct cause of instability, contentiousness, and vulnerability.
The final statistic cited in the document is emblematic: in the spring of 2028, at the end of the Extraordinary Commission's mandate, Castellammare di Stabia will have been governed by prefectural commissioners for a full 8 out of 24 years. A democratic suspension for a third of its recent history that requires—the signatories conclude—a clear break with the clientelist methods of the past and a concerted commitment from the higher institutions.
Key points on the appeal for Castellammare
Here is a summary of the main points that emerged from the Democrats and Progressives' appeal to save Castellammare di Stabia.
- Dissolution of the Council: Castellammare has suffered its second extraordinary dissolution in four years due to Camorra influence.
- Proposed agreement: An "Agreement for Castellammare" is requested, with the support of Sviluppo Campania and Invitalia to manage the investments.
- Funds at risk: Over 50 million euros in public funds have already been lost or are at risk due to the administrative situation.
- Six priority sectors: Six key sectors for regeneration have been identified: ports, spas, cultural heritage, urban regeneration, hydrogeological protection, and mobility.
- Criticism of politics: The need to overcome unstable electoral coalitions to ensure effective governance is stressed.
