Today and tomorrow there will also be voting in around forty municipalities in the Bologna area, ten of which have over 15 thousand inhabitants. The centre-left is trying to keep the fort intact, but in several municipalities the outcome is uncertain, between divisions and the centre-right wind which, especially in the mountains, is blowing strongly. Let’s start from the Casalecchio challenge, with the fracture of the Democratic Party which risks bringing the ‘organic’ candidate, Matteo Ruggeri, to the run-off. Either with the vice-rector Dario Braga (supported by Action, dem dissidents and the Civic Coalition) in an internal centre-left derby, or with the centre-right candidate Enrico Pasquariello. Yesterday the latest attack by Ruggeri and the Democratic Party in Braga for a candidate with a criminal record removed from the list. In the other large municipality, San Lazzaro, the centre-right is united around Alessandro Sangiorgi, but the broad coalition of the centre-left which supports Marilena Pillati (not without obstacles in her debut) does not fear reversals. Less ‘smooth’ for the centre-left Pianoro, where the support of Errani’s former deputy Simonetta Saliera, to the former Northern League member Luca Vecchiettini risks disrupting the plans, challenging Marco Zuffi (centre-left) and Luca D’Oristano (centre-right).
The spotlight is on in Castenaso: Carlo Gubellini (centre-left) attempts an encore, but the candidacy of former mayor Stefano Sermenghi, supported by FdI and Lega (not by FI), could make the race more difficult. Especially in the event of a runoff.
Above 15 thousand inhabitants there is also Valsamoggia: Milena Zanna, with Pd, Iv and Azione, aims to exploit the divisions of the centre-right, but in the event of a run-off the outcome is not a foregone conclusion. In Castel Maggiore, the dem Paolo Gurgone will try to keep the Municipality ‘red’, but there is also ‘Cose nuova’, the under 30s that the singer-songwriter Vecchioni likes, undermining him. The race in Molinella has always been a puzzle: after 10 years of Pd support with Dario Mantovani, the centre-right is attempting to come back with Bruno Bernardi, supported by FdI, Lega and FI, who challenges councilor Letizia Fattori (centre-left). In Castel San Pietro Francesca Marchetti defends the red fiefdom of Fausto Tinti, while in Medicina Matteo Montanari, a centre-left civic member, tries to do an encore, having to watch out for Rosario Guzzo, supported by the united right. To complicate the situation, the solitary race of the M5s. In Zola Predosa Davide Dall’Omo is looking for an encore, supported by a broad centre-left coalition (including the ‘local’ re-edition of the Terzo Polo). In municipalities under 15 thousand inhabitants, the centre-right aims to maintain Monterenzio, with the re-election of Ivan Mantovani, while the ballots for Sasso Marconi, Crevalcore, Baricella, Minerbio, Monzuno and Loiano are uncertain. Curious situation in Lizzano in Belvedere: the outgoing Sergio Polmonari, supported by the Pd, has been excluded. The duel is between Barbara Franchi and Giuliano Riccioni. The Malhotel polls are complicated for the Democratic Party, with the race with the centre-right of former mayor Massimiliano Vogli. Ugly mess in Pieve di Cento: the split between the Democratic Party and the outgoing mayor Luca Borsari could give an advantage to the latter, running as a civic figure.
Rosalba Carbutti
