For one student in two, the strongest mafia in the state

(ANSA) – PALERMO, APRIL 29 – There is still a high and significant segment of young people for whom the mafia phenomenon cannot be extinguished and indeed remains stronger than the State. These are the results of the questionnaire sent every year by the “Pio La Torre” Study Center to secondary school students throughout Italy. This year, 1578 students aged 14 to 21 were involved in the anti-mafia educational project. Despite the successes of the counteractions, only 20.6% of the young people interviewed responded positively to the question whether the mafia can be defeated. 49.8%, however, believe no. Basically one in two. Around one in three states that they do not have a precise opinion on the matter. By adding together the students who selected “no” among the answer methods and those, on the contrary, who were doubtful, we reach a figure of almost 80%. Basically, only one student in five thinks that the mafia can be definitively put out of action. “The questions that young people ask us, on how to improve the fight against mafia infiltration and how to combat corruption and clientelism, cannot remain without clear and convincing answers”, says Loredana Introini, president of the “Pio La Torre” study centre. «From the students – adds Vito Lo Monaco, president emeritus of the Center – there are signals that should not be underestimated with respect to the current social, economic and political crisis which affects not only democratic systems, but the states of the entire planet, shaken by a rapid process of technological, social, economic and environmental transformations and threatened by local wars that can degenerate into nuclear war. The low participation of citizens in voting in democratic systems, in Italy does not exceed 50% in the latest elections, an indicator of their distrust towards the ruling class and towards the parties transformed from bodies representing the various social strata to restricted groups of electoral power without a strategic vision of change to eliminate inequalities and social injustices”. (ANSA).