The mayor goes to Cassero to make peace with gays. And they say, "Apology accepted."«

More than a year ago, when Governor Vasco Errani, on the eve of the local elections, approved anti-discrimination regulations for de facto couples, dubbed "Regional Idioms," he raised the ire of the Curia and some time later paid a reparatory visit to the Archbishop on Via Altabella. Times have changed, because Mayor Merola, who has expressed his support for same-sex marriage, had to stop by "Canossa" at the Arcigay headquarters in Cassero to resolve the diplomatic incident sparked by his declaration that he wanted to give some recognition to married couples. At the meeting, which was also attended by the group leaders of the majority parties in the council, the mayor offered a peace pipe, promising the gay community (Arcigay, Cassero, Arcilesbica, Famiglie arcobaleno, Agedo, and 3D) the reactivation of the anti-discrimination office at Palazzo d'Accursio. The mayor himself described the meeting as "positive," during which he clarified that he "has no intention of broadening the focus" on family policies. In theory, the mayor, while reiterating his support for same-sex marriage, held firm: "The issue I raised is primarily cultural and political. Mine is an invitation to question ourselves from an ethical and political perspective on how to enrich and evolve the old culture of rights toward a concept of the right-duty of active citizenship, social responsibility, and a culture of limits, recognizing the bonds that hold a community together and guarantee paths to personal stability." Let's just say, however, that the herculean effort to explain his position was not rewarded. A glance at the online comments was enough to understand the mood within the gay movement against the mayor. No way: for the movement, giving a premium to married couples means discriminating against de facto couples, period. The mayor therefore had only one position left, one already aired last Friday when the case broke: to take a step back. A step back appreciated by Italy of Values: "The last word is good," said the IDV regional group leader. "Franco Grillini, let's put an end to a discussion that is almost incomprehensible with the normal tools of reason and politics." And even the Di Pietro group leader in the province, Paolo Nanni, said that "this, that is, the latest version, is the Merola I know." That evening, a statement from LGBT associations even arrived, expressing "satisfaction at having obtained clarification regarding Friday's statements" and accepting "the mayor's apologies for the misunderstanding." The mayor will certainly refrain from any practical intervention in this regard during his term. However, a more general political issue remains: it's a sign of intelligence to take into account the moods of one's own coalition, but should a mayor apologize if he thinks something that conflicts with the views of associations or other parties? O. Ro.