Preparation of a polling station for the municipal elections of June 9th in Borgetto (Palermo)
It’s time for runoffs in Italy. In fact, from Sunday the electoral round for the municipal elections will resume. A second round which until Monday will involve 14 provincial capitals and, among these, 5 regional capitals, called to the polls to elect the new mayors.
Two decisive days also for having a clearer picture of the Italian political scene. For this reason, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, speaking on social media, hopes for great participation from citizens: «It is an important moment for the future of our territories, your vote is fundamental to building a stronger community together, more cohesive. Go and vote – it was her appeal – make your voice heard, every vote counts ».
Indeed, every additional box ticked can prove to be pure gold for the candidates for mayor. For example in Perugia, where the all-female challenge between Vittoria Ferdinandi of the centre-left and Margherita Scoccia of the centre-right takes center stage, separated in the first round by just 598 votes. In order to distance itself from its opponent, the latter has called together numerous ecclesial associations and movements in the last week, while the IV and PSI have lined up for Ferdinandi.
Two other “hot” matches from a political point of view are being played in Florence and Bari. The secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, showed up in the Tuscan capital yesterday to support Sara Funaro, who obtained 43.17% in the first round of preferences. The Democratic candidate will have to deal with the former director of the Uffizi Eike Schmidt, supported by the center-right and trailing by more than 10 points in the first round. Funaro enjoys the support of M5s and IV, despite the secretary of the Tuscan Democratic Party, Emiliano Fossi, having ruled out agreements with the other forces; while Schmidt attempts to overtake thanks to the alliance with the RiBella Firenze civic list and the Florentine DC. For him yesterday no political leader in the square, but a Flash mob of support from the maestro Alberto Veronesi, who showed up in Piazza Duomo armed with a stereo, from which the aria from Rigoletto “Cortigiani vil racial d’annata” resounded.
We then come to the capital of Puglia, where the challenge is between Vito Leccese of the centre-left and Fabio Romito of the centre-right, with the former the favorite after having come close to winning by a few points in the first round. Leccese can count on the support of a “united” coalition, albeit unofficially, and also of the M5s, despite the split in the first round due to the support of the Five Star Movement for Michele Laforgia. The same lawyer, however, assured that there is a common vision and that he will support the Democratic Party with the certainty, in case of victory, of having a place on the council, according to an agreement signed with Leccese.
Still in the South, we return to the polls in Potenza, the capital of Basilicata, where it is neck and neck between Francesco Fanelli of the centre-right, and Vincenzo Telesca, leading a centre-left coalition. Fanelli, representative of the League and outgoing regional councilor, reached 40.6% in the first round, while Telesca, outgoing municipal councilor, despite the absence of party symbols on the ballot – not even his own, the Democratic Party, appears – is managed to obtain 32.44% of preferences. This time, however, he wanted to overturn the outcome of the first round Telesca will also be able to enjoy the support of the other two candidates for mayor attributable to the centre-left, namely Pierluigi Smaldone of Potenza returns and Francesco Giuzio of La Basilicata Possible.
