by InTrieste
With just over a year to go before Trieste’s municipal elections in the spring of 2027, the outlines of the city’s next political contest are already coming into focus, as parties on both sides of the spectrum begin to position themselves and potential candidates quietly enter the conversation.
On the center-left, a broad coalition has been formed that includes the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, Punto Franco and Adesso Trieste. The alliance, described as a campo largo — a wide political field — is intended to bring together progressive and civic forces behind a single candidate, though no name has yet been announced.
Attention has so far been focused on the center-right, where outgoing Mayor Roberto Dipiazza has begun to hint at possible successors. In a recent interview with the daily Il Piccolo, Dipiazza said he was confident that Mitja Gialuz, a well-known legal scholar and former city councilor, would run. He also suggested that his political camp should look to the business community for a candidate, arguing that Trieste’s phase of rapid growth calls for a profile with strong managerial experience.
That remark immediately fueled speculation about Enrico Samer, president of Samer & Co. Shipping, one of the city’s most prominent entrepreneurs. When asked whether he would consider a candidacy if approached, Samer described the idea as flattering but ruled it out in practical terms. While he said serving as mayor of a fast-growing city like Trieste would be “wonderful,” he added that the demands of running a major company would prevent him from committing the time and full engagement that the office requires.
Within Forza Italia, a key force in the center-right coalition, the regional party secretary and deputy finance minister, Sandra Savino, has also declined to name potential candidates. Like Dipiazza, she has stressed that the outgoing mayor’s views will be decisive. According to Savino, Dipiazza’s experience will allow him to identify the candidate best positioned to lead the city under a center-right banner.
Beyond the better-known male contenders, another possibility is quietly being discussed: the emergence of a female candidate from the Regional Council. While no names have been formally put forward, such a candidacy would carry strong symbolic weight, as Trieste has never had a woman as mayor. In a city that has increasingly emphasized innovation, social inclusion and international visibility, the prospect of a first female mayor is being viewed by some observers as both politically and culturally significant.
With formal campaigning still far off, Trieste’s 2027 mayoral race is already taking shape through alliances, speculation and strategic positioning — reflecting the growing importance of the city within northeastern Italy and the high stakes attached to its future direction.
