Italian left punishes Meloni in municipal elections

The European elections didn’t go very well for the Italian center-left, but now Transalpine Progressive They finally have some oxygen. Reason: in Second Round of the last Municipal elections, they have won According to the final vote count released this Tuesday, there was suspense in all the major major cities. The result adds to the victories obtained in 10 other cities (three of which were previously governed by the right-wing) in the first round, which was held parallel to the European electoral event two weeks ago.

The victory of progressives is especially relevant in cities like perugiawhere the right has ruled for a decade and the first female mayor won, Vittoria FerdinandiBut also inside FlorenceOne of the most touristic cities in Italy and where another woman won, Sara Fannarof the Democratic Party, whose opponent was the German art historian Eike Schmidt, former director of the Uffizi Gallery and currently director (on leave) at the Capodimonte Museum in Naples.

Other places added to the list are acquittedOne of the most important cities in southern Apulia and scene of the recent G7 hosted by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; crematoriuma prosperous city of the Padana plain; Vibo Valentiaa city in Calabria whose administration has been in place for 20 years; and PowerIn the small Basilicata.

Electoral pacts

Recipe which, in more than one case, has made the center-left victory possible Understanding within the Democratic Party (PS) and Five Star Movement (M5S), a populist party that has taken a more left-wing stance in recent years. Along with these two formations, in some areas, some smaller center formations also participated. This is the case in Perugia, where Ferdinandi is considered close to the left Coalition of Greens and The Leftran with a coalition which, besides the support of the PD and the M5S, also had the support of four civic lists.

“Center-left voters have shown us what they want to meet“, summarized the PD’s head for the regions, Davide Baruffi. “This is a reversal of the trend that nobody imagined,” the politician added. “This is a great success for the PD,” added the PD leader. Eli Schlein,

The strategy had already been tested Sardiniawhere M5S politician Alessandra Todé won last February over right-wing candidate Paolo Truzzo. The goal of the center-left bloc then, as it has been on this last occasion, was to prevent the right and far-right from advancing.

finish the second round

However, this goal may become even more difficult in the future. In fact, the voice of the government majority in response to the results shows that the government may be preparing a bill For finish the second round If the mayoral candidates reach at least 40% of the votes in the first attempt.

According to Ignazio La Russa, president of the Senate and member of the Brothers of Italy, the justification for this would be that the turnout in the second round is much lower than in the first. All this when low involvement -In this case, less than half of the voters exercised their right- an event that raises concern Fast to supervisors.