Neapolitans use a particular verb when it comes to winning elections: sagliere, which literally means "to rise".
And in truth, local elections have little to do with politics in Naples: They're basically an opportunity to get a job — but not just any job, rather, it's an opportunity for social ascent.
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Whoever wins automatically “goes up”. They no longer have anything to do with ordinary people, they rise to a kind of heavenly circle. It is a life-changing opportunity. The past no longer matters, or as one Neapolitan saying goes: “When the louse rises to glory, it loses its reason and memory.”
And what about those who lose?
Well, the loser abbusca — he takes a beating.
But actually abbuscare has two meanings: It can also mean to earn, or more precisely, to profit. And in fact, I once asked a patient what job he would like to do, and he replied:
“Dottoré, I would love a simple job where you can abbuscare a lot of money. I would love to be an illegal parking attendant — or a politician maybe!”
Learn more about Worldcrunch's exclusive Dottoré! series here.