The Municipality of Ercolano has deposited a council motion opposing differentiated autonomy, becoming the first municipality in Campania reported to take this step.
According to local reporting, the motion was filed in the Municipal Council and was scheduled for discussion on 24 November 2026. It was supported by all parties in Ercolano's governing majority.
The initiative responds to an appeal by Piero De Luca, regional secretary of the Democratic Party and a member of parliament, who called on municipal councils in Campania and southern Italy to mobilize against the reform.
What the motion argues
The motion invokes national unity, equality of rights and territorial cohesion.
Its central concern is that differentiated autonomy could widen regional disparities in access to essential public services. The stated areas of concern are healthcare, education and schools, transport, and other essential services — the same services cited in De Luca's appeal to Campania mayors.
In practical terms, supporters of the motion argue that citizens should have equal access to fundamental rights and services regardless of where they live, and that the reform risks undermining that principle.
Why Ercolano moved first
Ercolano is the first municipality in Campania reported to have formally deposited such a motion following De Luca's appeal.
The motion was signed by all the political forces in the municipal majority, giving it broad backing within the governing coalition ahead of the council debate.
The outcome of the 24 November discussion and vote was not yet reported in the sources available at the time of writing.
What the motion can — and cannot — do
The motion supports a possible initiative before the Constitutional Court.
That point needs clarification for readers: a municipal motion does not itself give the Municipality of Ercolano the power to file a constitutional challenge directly. Rather, it expresses political support for a future legal initiative at the appropriate institutional level, while asking the council to take a formal position against the reform.
The precise legal form, sponsors and procedural status of any future court initiative remain unspecified.
What to watch next
The immediate next step is the Ercolano Municipal Council discussion scheduled for 24 November 2026.
Two questions remain open: whether the council will approve the motion, and whether other municipalities in Campania will follow Ercolano's example with similar motions. The available sources do not establish whether other councils had adopted comparable measures at the time of reporting.
