(Adnkronos) – From Bari to Florence passing through Vercelli and Caltanissetta. A good portion of Italy returns to the polls for the run-off of the 2024 municipal elections. There are 101 municipalities involved, of which 14 are capitals, in this second round, those with more than 15 thousand inhabitants in which no candidate obtained more than 50% of the votes votes in the first round (8-9 June). The polls will be open today, Sunday 23 June, until 11pm and tomorrow, Monday 24, from 7am to 3pm.
Among the most important challenges are those of Florence, Bari and Perugia but eyes are also on Campobasso and Potenza, Lecce and Caltanissetta. 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.
Specifically, among the many challenges scheduled, the spotlight is focused above all on Florence, due to the post-Nardella (Dario, outgoing mayor of the Democratic Party and new MEP). Sara Funaro (43.2%) and Eike Dieter 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 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, starts ahead of the pack with 48%, ahead of Fabio Saverio Romito, from the centre-right, with 29.1%. Michele Laforgia (who came third in the first round) will support Leccese in the run-off. 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%.
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 final one 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”. With the center-left also Iv.
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 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 its 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 run-off in Cremona between Alessandro Portesani (43.11%) and Andrea Virgilio (42.11%); in Urbino between Maurizio Gambini (47.96%) and Federico Scaramucci (44.73%).
