De Magistris Fires Culture Councillor Nino Daniele, Sparking Debate in Naples

Naples mayor Luigi De Magistris has removed Nino Daniele from his post as culture councillor after six and a half years, replacing him with Eleonora de Majo, elected to the city council in 2016 with the DEMa list and linked to the Insurgencia social center. The move has sparked controversy, with the Jewish community expressing dismay over de Majo's alleged past anti-Israel statements. Daniele, born in Naples in 1953 and a philosophy graduate, has a long political career: city councillor from 1977 to 1993, regional councillor and vice president from 1995 to 2005, and mayor of Ercolano where he launched the MAV (Virtual Archaeological Museum). He co-wrote "La camorra e l'antiracket" with Tano Grasso and Antonio Di Florio, winning the Elsa Morante Prize in 2012. Support for Daniele has come from Paolo Giulierini, director of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, and Daniele Pittèri, director of the Fondazione Modena Arti Visive. However, curator Lucrezia Longobardi criticized Daniele for lacking a vision for the city and neglecting contemporary art, citing the decline of PAN (Palazzo delle Arti Napoli) under his tenure.