En plein in the big cities for the centre-left in the run-off elections with the conquest of all 5 regional capitals up for grabs (6 considering Cagliari won in the first round). While the good news for the government majority comes from Lecce, where Adriana Poli Bortone returns (who received a complimentary call from Matteo Salvini), Rovigo, Verbania and Caltanissetta, municipalities that change color when moving to the center-right.
The winner, however, is once again the non-voting party with thefinal turnout at the polls which stops, as for the European elections, below 50% of voters: 47.71%, a sharp decline compared to the first round when it was 62.83%. An alarming but also endemic fact, as noted by the President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa.
From the run-offs, the second highest office of the State emphasizes, “a fact emerges that must make us reflect: the double round is not a salvation and actually increases abstention. Sometimes, those who have fewer absolute votes than their opponent had in the first round are even elected. Unacceptable.” Meanwhile, the center-left is singing victory, first and foremost the secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein. “A historic victory for the Democratic Party and the progressive camp,” says the Democratic Party secretary who claims victory in Florence, Bari, Campobasso, Perugia, Potenza and Cagliari.
«It is irrevocable: the cities have rejected the right that governs – he adds – and sent a clear message to Giorgia Meloni. No more cuts to healthcare, no more low wages and no more differentiated autonomy.” «Citizens reward the projects of agreement between the opposition forces – comments M5s in a note – the result not of palace alchemy but of a convergence that is consolidating in the parliamentary halls as well as in the squares. This is a fact that comforts and encourages us to continue.”
The Dem secretary, an hour before the polls closed and in defiance of superstition, picks up the phone to congratulate the new mayors of Florence, Sara Funaro and of Bari, Vito Leccese (she will then also call those of Perugia, Vibo Valentia and Campobasso). A victory, that in the two regional capitals that was in the air and arrives with Bulgarian percentages for the former chief of staff of Antonio Decaro, Vito Leccese, who prevails over Fabio Romito with over 70% of the votes. But also for Funaro who becomes the first woman to lead Palazzo Vecchio with 60% of the preferences over the former director of the Uffizi, Eike Schmidt, at 39.4%.
The victory of the wide field in Perugia with Vittoria Ferdinandi is less obvious, here too the first time for a female mayor, who obtains 59.12% beating her colleague Margherita Scoccia. Moreover, the result of the administrative elections in the provincial capitals also tells a small record: never before have so many women, in fact, 6 out of 14 are the first citizens who will lead as many cities in the provincial capitals. Also not a foregone conclusion on the left is the victory of Vincenzo Telesca in Potenza who overturns the result of the first round with 64% of the votes. The center-left is also victorious in Cremona but by only 191 votes. On the other side, Fratelli d’Italia claims to have snatched more municipalities from the other coalition: 4 to 3, emphasizes the organization manager Giovanni Donzelli. “Obviously we would have liked to win everywhere – he observes – but the balance of the run-offs is still positive for us”.
And also the League, which tomorrow in the federal council will also discuss the vote of the administrative elections, with the number two of the party Andrea Crippa speaks of a victory of the League: «The League – he emphasizes – has always administered well. This is confirmed by the excellent results in Veneto, the conquests in Piedmont such as that of Vercelli, and the victory of Lecce in Puglia. We can only move forward with even more strength, working for the well-being of the territories». «Our coalition from today has more mayors in the eight thousand municipalities of Italy», also says the blue group leader Maurizio Gasparri. If we also consider the outcome of the first round, of the 29 provincial capitals voting, 17 go to the center-left, 10 to the center-right and 2 to civic candidates.
Schlein: the cities reject the government, it’s a message to Meloni
“A historic victory for the Democratic Party and the progressive camp. We won in all 6 regional capitals, snatching three from the right and with three new mayors. From Florence to Bari, from Campobasso to Perugia, from Potenza to Cagliari. It is irrevocable: the cities have rejected the right that governs and sent a clear message to Giorgia Meloni. No more cuts to healthcare, no more low wages and no to differentiated autonomy”. This is what the Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein said, commenting on the results of the run-off elections.