Farewell to Franco Tentorio, the Mayor Who Defined an Era in Bergamo

Bergamo woke to news that brought everything to a standstill. Franco Tentorio, the man who guided our city from the late 1990s into the new millennium, has passed away at the age of 81. This isn't just the loss of a former mayor; it's a chapter closing on a piece of Bergamo's recent history. I saw him out and about so many times, followed his campaigns, and today, like so many others, I feel the need to pause for a moment and remember.

It was 1995 when Franco Tentorio won the election. For us in Bergamo, accustomed to a certain kind of administrative continuity, his arrival brought a breath of fresh air. I remember him talking with people at the market, no filter, with that directness that’s perhaps been missing from politics lately. He wasn't one for lofty speeches: he looked things straight in the eye, and anyone who knew him knows well that beneath that resolute manner was a passion for this city that went far beyond simply holding office.

He held the reins of the town hall for two terms, until 2004. They were complex years: Italy was changing, the province was trying to carve out a new space for itself after the end of the First Republic, and Bergamo had to contend with urban expansion that demanded vision. He wasn't an easy mayor, and perhaps for that very reason, he was loved. His legacy is made of tangible things, the kind you can still see today when walking around the city.

The Man Behind the Sash

Talking about Franco Tentorio without mentioning his visceral connection to Bergamo would be impossible. Born in '45, a child of another era, he grew up in the post-war reconstruction and then the spirit of renewal of the 1970s. When he took the mayor's seat, he knew every decision would be scrutinised. And he never looked away.

His strength was his ability to listen, even to those who didn't share his views. In an age before social media, politics happened in party branches, in local clubs, but above all, out on the streets. And he was a master of that. Those who were his political opponents today remember him with respect, because he knew how to separate fierce debate from personal regard. A lesson that perhaps is needed more than ever today.

The Places and Memories of a Whole Community

If I had to think of a symbol of his work, it wouldn't be a plaque or a ribbon-cutting, but rather the way he interpreted the role. During his tenure, Bergamo saw the development of major projects. He loved to say that a city isn't built just with construction sites, but with people. And maybe he was right. Just think of how he managed dialogue with the productive sectors of our area – a fundamental pillar for a city that never forgets it's also a hub for ideas and enterprise.

In recent years, after leaving active politics, it wasn't unusual to bump into him in the city centre. A coffee at a café, a chat with old friends. He never lost that air of a practical intellectual, able to talk about anything with the same passion. His passing, which happened yesterday, leaves a void that goes beyond politics.

For many, it feels like we've lost a touchstone. We don't easily forget those like him who helped build the city we live in. Because the memory of a good public servant isn't measured just in figures or council terms, but in the memories left behind in our squares, on our streets, in everyday life.

• 1995-1999: First term as mayor, marked by a direct and innovative approach for its time.
• 1999-2004: Re-elected to lead the city, facing the challenges of the new millennium with the same determination.
• A Life for Bergamo: Born in 1945, he witnessed decades of change, remaining a steadfast figure for the community.

Today, Bergamo mourns Franco Tentorio. The national political spotlight may not be on us, but here, on Via XX Settembre, in Piazza Vecchia, beneath the porticoes, his absence is deeply felt. Because when a man has given so much of himself in service to his home place, the gratitude of the people is the only monument that matters. And today, we are all paying him that tribute, with the silence and respect that true men of substance deserve.