Regional elections in Basilicata, the guide to voting. The candidates, the rules, the stakes

The electoral train leading to the European elections in June makes one more stop. Sunday 21 April and Monday 22 April, in Basilicata: the future governor of the Region will be decided in these two days. And once again the spotlight of national politics is all on a local test that could have a significant impact on the EU vote on June 9th.

The deployments

On the one hand, the center-right has gathered here, in Lucania, behind Vito Bardi, the outgoing governor of Forza Italia in the running for reconfirmation. On the other, the center-left and the broad Pd-Cinque Stelle camp which here, not without difficulty, finally held and will support the candidacy of the president of the Province of Matera Piero Marrese. While Volt fields a third candidate, the journalist Eustachio Follia.

When and how to vote

But let’s go in order. When do you vote? Appointment at the polls from 7am to 11pm on Sunday and from 7am to 3pm on Monday. Then, on Monday afternoon, the count will take place which should give the first results already in the evening. Or at most in the early morning of Tuesday, given that the rules stipulate that the counting closes within twelve hours from the moment it begins. Around 500 thousand Lucanians are expected to vote to elect, in addition to the Regional President, 20 regional councillors.

Now the rules. In Basilicata the electoral law provides for a single round. Whoever gets the most votes wins. Voters will have to bring their electoral card and identity card with them and will be able to vote for a list or for a gubernatorial candidate (there is no separate vote). The vote for a list will also go to its associate president candidate.

The field wide to the right

The candidates, it was said, are three. In the field Vito Bardi, the former general of the Guardia di Finanza will run once again as governor. In the end the centre-right, not without some initial hesitation, gave the green light to the re-nomination of the outgoing president of Forza Italia. Carlo Calenda’s Azione also supports him together with the civic list La vera Basilicata and Orgoglio Lucano, where representatives of Italia Viva will also be candidates. In short, the “third pole” broke the lines of the center-left and decided to give an assist, in Basilicata, to the majority in Rome.

The Pd-M5S axis

On the other side Pietro Marrese, candidate from the broad field: Five Star, Pd, Green and Left Alliance (Avs) together with the civic lists Basilicata Casa Comune and Basilicata Unita. The leader of the first is Angelo Chiorazzo, “the king of Lucanian co-ops”, a leading exponent of the Catholic-Dem world in the region who initially seemed one step away from the coalition’s candidacy and in the end, after long and tortuous negotiations, took a step forward side to make room for Marrese.

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