Bologna, September 13, 2026 – Silence and uncertainty, perhaps even a hint of embarrassment. If Marzabotto will grant honorary citizenship to Francesca Albanese on September 23, Bologna does not seem to be in a hurry. The honor to the UN rapporteur in Palestine was approved by the Assembly and remains in black and white, but to date there is still no talk of a ceremony. And to think that the request for revocation, made by the center-right in December after Albanese’s statements about the assault on the La Stampa newsroom (“A warning to journalists”), was even rejected by the Council, which did not even express itself for urgent consideration. Everything basically suggested an imminent delivery, or at least within a reasonable time, as usually happens.
Yet, still, nothing is known. Some speak of a slowdown due to the controversies that erupted in the city and internal frictions even within the majority: the same councilors Filippo Diaco (leader of the ‘Anche tu Conti’ list) and Cristina Ceretti (PD) had expressed regret for having voted for the act. Criticism also came from the Democratic deputies Andrea De Maria and Virginio Merola: both had asked for the revocation of the honor, while “respecting the autonomy of the municipal administration”.
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There was also talk of a “stopped process”, of revocation coming, but nothing: Bologna has never really followed the path traced by Florence, which in December actually canceled the conferment. The honorary citizenship to Albanese, in short, remains. A recent case is that concerning Sinisa Mihajlovic, also then with some controversy: the late former rossoblù coach received the honor in 2020, but had to wait until 2021 for the delivery. Yet back then Covid was dominant, while today the reasons seem different.
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