From Vercelli to Caltanissetta, passing through Bari and Florence. Next weekend a good portion of Italy will return to the polls for the local elections. There are just over 100 municipalities interested in this second round, those with more than 15 thousand inhabitants in which no candidate obtained more than 50% of the votes in the first round. The polls will be open from 7am to 11pm on Sunday 23 June and from 7am to 3pm on Monday 24 June. The centre-left won in 10 municipalities in the first round (Bergamo, Pavia, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Prato, Livorno, Cesena, Pesaro, Sassari and Cagliari). The centre-right has already conquered cities such as Biella, Ferrara, Forlì, Ascoli, Pescara and Avellino.
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Specifically, among the many challenges scheduled, the spotlight is focused above all on Florence, due to the post Nardella (outgoing mayor of the Democratic Party and new MEP). Sara Funaro (43.2%) and Eike Schmidt (32.9%) are competing. With the outgoing councilor there is a wide field: Pd, Italian Left + Europe, Action, Green Europe, Labor Movement, Volt, Central Movement and, latest arrival, M5s. Voting freedom was enjoyed by the voters of Stefania Saccardi (IV), 7.29% in the first round, and Cecilia Del Re (6.21%). In Bari, Vito Leccese, from the centre-left, will start in front, with 48%, over Fabio Saverio Romito, from the centre-right, with 29.1%. The centre-left should have healed the rift following Michele Laforgia’s candidacy in the first round, and should therefore present itself united. In Lecce the challenge arises again between Adriana Poli Bortone, centre-right, who came close to victory with her 49.95% and Carlo Salvemini, centre-left, stuck at 46.3%.
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In Perugia, the center-left candidate Vittoria Ferdinandi is ahead with 49.01%, while Margherita Scoccia of the center-right is chasing a lead (48.29%). Here the run-off promises to be a last-gasp affair because the difference in votes between the two aspiring mayors was 598. Furthermore, the third wheel Massimo Monni (1.24%), after having met the two candidates, sided with Ferdinandi but talking about “personal choice”. Iv is also with the centre-left, while the PSI has not yet taken sides. In Campobasso face to face between the centre-right candidate Aldo De Benedittis (48.31%) and that of the centre-left Marialuisa Forte (31.89). In Potenza, if not the wide field should find a ‘large’ centre-left behind the progressive candidate Vincenzo Telesca (32.4%), who has worked in recent days and obtained the support of the M5s and the Basilicata Possible list, which however is chasing the centre-right candidate, Francesco Fanelli (Lega), strong with his 40.6%. In Caltanissetta the protagonists of the ballot are Walter Calogero Tesauro (centre-right, 34.42%) and the civic progressive area Annalisa Maria Petitto (30.82%). In Vercelli there is a challenge between Roberto Scheda (centre-right, 37.87%) and Gabriele Bagnasco (25.60%). Last-gasp ballots in Perugia, where around 500 votes separated Vittoria Ferdinandi (centre-left, 49.1%) and Margherita Scoccia (centre-right, 48.29%); in Cremona between Alessandro Portesani (43.11%) and Andrea Virgilio (42.11%); Urbino between Maurizio Gambini (47.96%) and Federico Scaramucci (44.73%).
