The mayor of Montalto Uffugo, Biagio Faragalli, supported by the centre-right, is the new president of the Province of Cosenza. The mayor of the capital city, Franz Caruso, candidate of the centre-left, despite the good result in the large centres, was unable to bridge the gap accumulated in the medium-small municipalities. From the first ballots examined – coming mainly from smaller towns – an advantage immediately emerged for Faragalli, which was then confirmed during the counting. The mayor of Montalto clearly prevailed in the lower demographic sections of the municipalities, while Caruso achieved better results in large centers such as Cosenza, Rende and Corigliano Rossano. A gap, however, insufficient to reverse the general trend. The result marks the continuity of the centre-right provincial leadership after the mandate of Rosaria Succurro.
The first official findings show a clear picture: Subsection 1 – Blue Band: Faragalli 157 votes, Caruso 124 (6 blank, 2 null). Subsection 2 – Blue Band: Faragalli 165 votes, Caruso 101 (12 blank, 1 nil). Subsection 3 – Blue Band: tie 124 to 124. Subsection 4 – Red Band: Faragalli 78 votes, Caruso 52. Subsection 4 – Orange Band: Faragalli 105 votes, Caruso 89.
The trend confirmed the strength of the centre-right candidate in the smaller and medium-sized territories, which are decisive in the weighted vote in provincial elections. Participation was particularly high: 1,500 directors out of 1,740 cast their votes, equal to 86.21%. In the main polling station, dedicated to the most populous municipalities, participation peaks close to all eligible voters were recorded, with percentages even exceeding 95%.
During the counting operations, an anomaly emerged: seven voted but unstamped ballots were found in the ballot box of the polling station where the administrators of the three most populous municipalities voted. The electoral commission is checking whether these ballots could have come from the reserve package used during the day. The episode does not currently appear to have a significant impact on the overall result, but investigations are underway.
The result will inevitably open a phase of analysis in the centre-left, which was banking on the figure of the mayor of Cosenza to regain leadership of the institution. Probably, Caruso paid for the rift with Adamo, Guccione and Incarnato. For the centre-right, however, it is a new territorial affirmation, consolidating its institutional presence in the most populous province of Calabria.
Occhiuto: Faragalli election, victory for the centre-right team
“To Biagio Faragalli, mayor of Montalto Uffugo and new president of the Province of Cosenza, I address my most sincere congratulations and best wishes for success in the prestigious role entrusted to him. His election at the helm of such an important body represents an extremely significant result for the centre-right and for Forza Italia: a beautiful victory, which confirms the excellent health of our coalition. And for this I thank the entire centre-right team, the councilors and regional councillors, the mayors, and all those who contributed to achieving this important goal. I am sure that a fruitful and constructive collaboration will continue to develop between the Calabria Region and the Province of Cosenza, in the interests of the territories, local administrators and citizens”. Thus Roberto Occhiuto, president of the Calabria Region and deputy national secretary of Forza Italia.