Marcella Sorrentino, provincial secretary of Noi di Centro, has intervened in the ongoing events concerning the Municipality of Benevento to defend the administration and reaffirm her party's support for Mayor Clemente Mastella.
In a statement reported by NTR24 and independently reproduced by Lab TV, Sorrentino said no one is minimizing the situation and expressed respect for the judiciary, adding that any possible violations should be assessed through the proper channels.
At the same time, she argued that an ongoing investigation cannot by itself delegitimize the city administration, Noi di Centro, or its wider political community before the facts are established.
Judicial, administrative and political responsibility
The core of Sorrentino's argument is a distinction between judicial, administrative, and political accountability.
According to the statement, individual responsibilities should not be automatically attributed to the mayor, the Giunta, the party, or the entire governing experience. An accused person, she said, should not be treated as guilty before the facts are clarified.
Noi di Centro, Sorrentino added, continues to support Mastella as its leader.
The cited electoral and polling figures
To support that position, Sorrentino cited two figures:
- 17,701 votes, equal to 17.68%, for the Mastella Noi di Centro Noi Sud list in the 2025 regional elections in the Benevento constituency
- A 59.5% approval rating for Mastella in the 2026 Governance Poll by Il Sole 24 Ore and Noto Sondaggi, placing him among the top ten mayors of Italian provincial capitals
Both figures were presented as part of Sorrentino's political statement and were not independently verified in the reporting.
What remains unclear
The reports do not provide details on the scope, charges, or procedural status of the investigation referenced in the statement.
They also do not include responses from prosecutors, opposition groups, or other political forces, presenting only Noi di Centro's interpretation of the moment.
