Florence, 16 June 2024 – The countdown has begun. In exactly eight days we will find out who, between Sara Funaro (centre-left) ed Eike Schmidt (centre-right), will be the new mayor of Florence. Between them, contrary to what was initially thought, the gap is ten percentage points. With the former at 43% and the latter at 33%.
The only connection made official yesterday is that of the civic one RiBella Florencewith 0.57% of the votes in the first round, which decided to support the former director of the Uffizi for a sort of “unity of purpose and to carry forward the battles of the committees”, explained its leader Francesca Marrazza. While on the other side, as repeatedly said by the Dem regional secretary Emiliano Fossi, there will be no agreement. But, as confirmed by Funaro: “I will go street by street to talk to citizens as I have always done since the electoral campaign began.”
The real game, however, is played on the fate of the votes of Cecilia Del Re (6.21%), former Dem councilor for urban planning resigned by Dario Nardella and candidate for mayor with her list of defectors from the ‘Democratic Florence’ PD who made it clear, without mincing words, that she will be in the opposition. Uncertainty about who to vote for is instead expressed by the radical Left with Dmitrij Palagi, which took 5.45%. The 5 Star Movement with Lorenzo Masi (3.35%) has not given any indications even though for days the reconfirmed city councilor has been proposing a wide field with the Five Star Movement inside (who, following Giuseppe Conte’s indication, decided to run alone in the first round).
And then there is the question Italia Vivaa divided party, in which on one side there is the deputy governor of the Tuscany region Stefania Saccardi, candidate for IV as first citizen and who got 7.29%, who the day before yesterday – also urged (or, rather, cornered) by the president Eugenio Giani – officially communicated, through a note, that “I will vote for my friend Sara Funaro”, and on the other the Renzian leaders who instead left their voters “hands free”. A position, the latter, which yesterday the standard-bearer of the centre-left addressed without any controversy: “Italia Viva? Today we are focused on 23 and 24 June. From the following day, if I am mayor, obviously we will address all the issues”.
Eike Schmidt hopes to also convince the 100,000 Florentines who did not go to vote through tours throughout the city, and in particular in the suburbs, to make their program and their “Magnificent Florence” known.
“San Giovanni does not want deceptions”, is the joke of the former number one of the Uffizi Galleries (now in Capodimonte) recalling the day in which there will be the ballot count, June 24th, the day dedicated to the Patron Saint. “Extraordinary data – says Funaro – considering the data from which we started. The center-left has many candidates and it seems clear to me that the citizens’ indication is clear. Compared to the polls we have seen circulating, this is an extraordinary data. I would like to thank everyone the candidates. We have started from scratch. Now the challenge is between us and the right.”
