The run-off elections in 101 Italian municipalities are scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday, 23rd and 24th June. Here’s a brief overview of the key races and alliance.
101 municipalities failed to return a winner in the recent voting, leading to run-off elections. Here’s a brief overview of the key races and alliance.
Florence
In Florence, the run-off elections feature a broad field. Lorenzo Masi, the M5S mayoral candidate from the first round who secured 3.35% of the vote, announced his party’s unequivocal support for Sara Funaro, stating, “The right field cannot be built with the Democrats, and in the run-off we will convincingly support Sara Funaro’s candidacy. We will not leave our Florence in the hands of the Right.” Funaro expressed her appreciation for Masi’s support.
The critical battle is over the votes of Stefania Saccardi, the IV candidate who garnered 7.29% and has pledged her support for Funaro, though her party has left its members free to choose. Additionally, the votes of Cecilia Del Re, who received 6.21%, are up for grabs. Del Re was the Dem councillor for urban planning who resigned under Dario Nardella and ran with her own list of defectors from the ‘Democratic Florence’ PD.
The Radical Left’s Dmitrij Palagi, who took 5.45%, has expressed uncertainty about his voting decision. Eike Schmidt, having allied with the civic list RiBella Firenze (which received 0.57% in the first round), hopes to mobilise the 100,000 Florentines who did not vote.
Perugia
In Perugia, a tight race sees Vittoria Ferdinandi (centre-left, 49.01%) narrowly leading Margherita Scoccia (centre-right, 48.29%) by 598 votes. The third force, civic Perugia Merita, which gained 1.4%, has not taken a side.
Bari
In Bari, Vito Leccese, who almost won outright in the first round, faces Fabio Romito in the run-off. The Bari centre-left is once again united, with the PD, Verdi, M5S, and the Italian Left rallying together despite earlier splits. The centre-right, which managed only 29% in the first round, is banking on a comeback.
Lecce
Lecce narrowly missed having a mayor elected in the first round. The centre-right candidate Adriana Poli Bortone fell just short at 49.95%, while centre-left candidate and outgoing mayor Carlo Salvemini secured 46.3%.
Campobasso and Potenza
In Campobasso, the contest is between centre-right candidate Aldo De Benedittis and centre-left candidate Marialuisa Forte.
In Potenza, progressive forces continue negotiations. Vincenzo Telesca (centre-left, 32.4% in the first round) is in talks with Pierluigi Smaldone (M5S, 17.6%) and Francesco Giuzio (Basilicata Possible, 8%). Francesco Fanelli (Lega, 40.6% in the first round) has full support from the centre-right.
Caltanissetta
In Caltanissetta, Annalisa Petitto and Walter Tesauro are the candidates in the run-off. Tesauro, from the centre-right, refuses to participate in debates despite meetings with outgoing M5S mayor Roberto Gambino. The latter secured 28% in the first round.
Annalisa Petitto has added new names to her team, including Angelo Failla, who was a mayoral candidate in the first round with the “Nuova Italia-Failla Sindaco” list.
