The former mayor of Bari, Simeone Di Cagno Abbrescia, has died. He was 80 years old and had been ill for some time. From this afternoon the funeral chapel will be open in the town hall. The funeral will take place tomorrow at 10.30 in the Basilica of San Nicola. Di Cagno Abbrescia had started politics in the PRI and in 1994 he joined Forza Italia. With Berlusconi’s party he was elected mayor of the Apulian capital in 1995 and was re-elected in 1999. Once his mandate was over, he ran for the Chamber in 2006 on the FI list and won a seat, then confirmed in 2008 with the PDL. In 2009 he tried to become mayor of Bari again but was defeated in the run-off by Michele Emiliano.