An editorial published by NTR24 on 26 October 2026 presents Democratic Party figure Gino Abbate as setting out a political alternative to Clemente Mastella's leadership in Benevento, ahead of the 2027 municipal elections.

According to the editorial, Abbate's recent interview amounts to a clear and ambitious position on the city's future. The piece interprets his remarks as arguing that the local centre-left should not make room for Noi di Centro, and that its goal should not be limited to defeating the outgoing mayor but should offer a distinct proposal for the city.

The editorial's thesis: an "opinion vote"

The editorial's concluding argument is that the centre-left in Benevento could aim for what it calls the "voto di opinione" and the "intelligenza dei beneventani liberi" — the opinion vote and the intelligence of free Beneventans.

That framing is interpretative. The underlying article is an editorial reading of an Abbate interview, not a full transcript of his remarks.

The wider context: the PD's road to 2027

The editorial comes during a broader reorganisation of the Benevento centre-left.

In October 2026, the local Democratic Party began a series of meetings and discussions with progressive, civic and community groups in preparation for the 2027 administrative elections. The party said at the time that it had not yet chosen a candidate for mayor and intended to build a shared proposal through a joint table with political, civic and association forces.

Abbate was among the participants in that PD-led meeting with the city's progressive area.

Whether Abbate himself intends to run for mayor has not been independently confirmed. NTR24 discusses a possible ambition, while the party has publicly said no candidate has been identified.

Mastella and reported public support

In July 2026, Clemente Mastella publicly thanked ordinary people, Beneventans and Sannites for the support he said he had received after announcing a difficult personal health moment.

That statement was reported by ANSA and by the local outlet Realtasannita in the context of the city council and public reactions to his announcement. It documents the public support Mastella said he received; it does not by itself verify the political assessment offered in the October editorial.

What remains unclear

Several points remain open:

  • The exact wording and scope of Abbate's original interview, beyond the editorial's interpretation.
  • Whether Abbate will seek the centre-left mayoral nomination.
  • How the PD's promised shared process, including monthly discussions and a jointly agreed candidate, will develop.
  • The electoral outlook for the centre-left in the 2027 Benevento vote, which remains uncertain.

For readers in Benevento and the Sannio area, the significance of the editorial is less as a prediction than as a signal: part of the local centre-left is framing 2027 as a choice between continuity and a new civic proposal, and is asking voters to judge that proposal on its merits.