Von Heribert Prantl
Moral courage, civil society and public spirit – these are good words; they stand for values that are indispensable in a democracy. They have a Sicilian sound to me. It has to do with a man who first became mayor of Palermo in 1985 and has been mayor five times since; he is considered the great and implacable opponent of the mafia. Now, almost 75 years old, he is stepping down: a new mayor will be elected in Palermo this Sunday – the successor to Leoluca Orlando. “Missione compiuta. Da completare” is his farewell message, which can be seen and heard on Facebook; he walks through his city with melancholic pride.
