There are 62 Apulian municipalities that will vote in the local elections scheduled for 8 and 9 June. The deadline for submitting lists and candidacies for mayor expired at noon. Spotlight on Bari, where the Decaro era ends and 5 show up to succeed him. Recent judicial investigations have fragmented the centre-left, divided between the candidacy of Vito Leccese, supported by PD and six civic lists, and the proposal of Michele Laforgia, supported by M5S, the Italian Communist Party and 4 civic lists. The center-right is betting everything on regional councilor Fabio Romito. He will be able to count on 10 lists: Fratelli d’Italia, Forza Italia, UDC-Italy first, Noi Moderati, new PSI and 5 civic ones. Sabino Mangano with the “Oltre” list and Nicola Sciacovelli, supported by two civic lists, will also be in the game. In the Bari area Gioia Del Colle, Putignano, Rutigliano, Santeramo in Colle, Binetto, Bitritto, Cellamare and Turi also go to vote. There is also voting in Lecce where the outgoing centre-left mayor Carlo Salvemini will seek reconfirmation with a coalition of 9 lists; the center-right fields 10 lists in support of Senator Adriana Poli Bortone, already mayor for two consecutive terms. Also in the field are Alberto Siculella with two civic lists and Agostino Ciucci with only one list. In the Lecce area there are 29 municipalities affected by the administrative round, including Copertino. In the Bat, the vote will only be held in Trinitapoli, after the dissolution of the Municipality due to mafia influence. The center-right is divided between the candidacy of Emanuele Losapio and his “Sìamo Trinitapoli” list, and that of Francesco di Feo, with the “Trinitapolese Resilience” list. Pd and M5S reach an agreement on the name of Anna Maria Tarantino, leader of the “Trinitapoli Buona Politica” list. In the Foggia area, Manfredonia returns to the vote, after the early end of the Rotice union. Center-right divided between two candidacies: Ugo Galli will run with the support of Fratelli d’Italia, Forza Italia and 5 civic lists; Vincenzo Di Staso will have the support of the League, UDC and 2 civic bodies. The Pd and M5S cannot agree on a unitary candidate. The Democrats are part of the coalition supporting Domenico La Marca; the Five Star Movement is aiming for Antonio Tasso together with 3 civic lists. In the Foggia area, 15 other municipalities are going to vote, including San Severo, San Giovanni Rotondo and Torremaggiore; in the Brindisi area Mesagne, Erchie and Villa Castelli; in the Taranto area only Statte, Maruggio, Carosino and Faggiano. For municipalities with over 15 thousand inhabitants in which none of the candidates exceed the 50% threshold of preferences, a run-off is scheduled for 23 and 24 June.
