In Veneto on paper the center-left gains a municipality: it had 5 out of 16, now it will administer 6. And so the centre-right which had 11 drops to 10. These are the numbers, but it is an arithmetic that does not convey the exact size of the outcome of these ballots. Because Veneto remains a profoundly centre-right region and if the centre-left has managed to conquer important realities such as Vittorio Veneto or Montecchio Maggiore it is only because the League split there and the center-right has splintered, so much so that not even initiatives such as the Autonomy Pride Festival have managed to reverse the trend, allowing spite and revenge to prevail. Of course, the same thing could be said for Rovigo, the only provincial capital affected by this electoral round where the centre-left split with the Democratic Party which first left its mayor Edoardo Gaffeo in the lurch, then failed to regroup at the polls and for the civic Valeria Cittadin the ballot was a triumph, so much so that now everyone – from the Brothers of Italy to the League – is claiming it: “It’s ours”, “no, ours”. But beyond the labels, the victory in Rovigo is a spur for the centre-right.
The analysis of politicians
«Let’s start from here to take back Padua and Verona», promises the secretary of the League, Alberto Stefani. And Matteo Salvini’s congratulations arrive from Via Bellerio: «I express particular satisfaction for the victory in Rovigo, which confirms the extraordinary result of the ballots throughout the Veneto». For the Venetian coordinator of Fratelli d’Italia, Luca De Carlo, «these victories are synonymous with rooting which started some time ago”, means that the “Giorgia effect” is fundamental, yes, but the party is also starting to be present in many municipalities. Could it have been done better? «You can’t win everywhere, the administrative offices have territorial dynamics, but there is some regret – says the coordinator of Forza Italia, Flavio Tosi -: if an alliance with the Brothers of Italy had been made in Monselice and Vittorio Veneto , we would have won hands down.” And the centre-left? «It is a complex picture – says the secretary of the Democratic Party, Andrea Martella -, results to be evaluated very carefully. The future? Work on a broad, plural alliance of centre-left political and civic forces.” The picture of these ballots tells of confirmations and sensational reversals even if, all things considered, the total remains practically unchanged.
Ballots, the Municipalities that have changed colour
Rovigo moves to the centre-right united by Valeria Cittadin (58%) with the former mayor Gaffeo who stops at 41% (and the Democratic Party in the city council will have to settle for just one seat). Change color Vittorio Venetoin the province of Treviso, and it is an open secret that a large part of the Northern League, to spite the former Northern League member Toni Da Re, voted for Mirella Balliana (53%), making the centre-left win. Two reverses of opposite sign in the Venetian area: in Noale with the united centre-right Stefano Sorino wins (57%) over Alessandra Dini, in Spinea the PD triumphs with Franco Bevilacqua (62%) over Claudio Tessari who was without FI in the first round and there was no tie. The defeat at Selvazzano Dentro was a blow for the Paduan centre-rightwhere the loser was not only Mariano Fuschi, but also the provincial coordinator of FdI Enoch Soranzo, whose name appeared next to that of Meloni on the electoral symbol, indicated as the architect of the fall of the Northern League mayor, of the commissionership and then of the division of the coalition: the PD is celebrating with Claudio Piron (51.6%). Montecchio is the burning wound in the League and to the Northern League member Milena Cecchetto, who was ready to leave the Veneto regional council to return to the town hall: they were all convinced it was a walk in the park, until the former Northern League mayor Gianfranco Trapula, who had been sidelined by the party, formed an alliance with the centre-left of Silvio Parise (59.6%) and is now preparing to become deputy mayor: «I am decisive, I hope to have an important role». Change sign San Bonifacio, in the Veronese area, with Fulvio Soave (55%) handing over the town hall to the centre-right. The conclusion is always the same: when a coalition splits, it benefits the opponent. It is also for this reason that the other Northern League regional councilor involved in this electoral round, Nicola Finco, in Bassano del Grappa wanted to join forces with FdI in the run-off. A month ago Finco was given up as a goner, he won with 51.5%. There are those who now expect showdowns, as in Scorzè, where the Northern League regional councilor Gabriele Michieletto supported, contrary to the party’s choices, Nais Marcon, who also lost. «Someone today finds himself without the League and without a mayor», the caustic comment of the Venetian secretary of the Carroccio, Sergio Vallotto. Beyond the losers and the winners, the worrying fact is the low turnout: in Veneto less than one voter in two, 45.86%.
