Comunali, Vito Leccese wins in Bari. In Lecce Poli Bortone beats Salvemini, Telesca wins in Potenza

The centre-left confirms itself in Bari and wins in Potenza, while the centre-right wins the Municipality of Lecce. These are the results of the run-off elections for the local elections, which took place between Sunday and Monday.

Turnout down compared to the first round. In Puglia, 44.13% of eligible voters went to the polls, a figure significantly lower than the 61.54% recorded on 8 and 9 June. In Bari the turnout was 37.53% (first round 58.17%). The figure for Lecce is higher: 60.76% (first round 68.43%). In Potenza, the only Lucanian municipality to vote, 54.51% of those entitled to vote went to the polls, while in the first round the turnout was 69.12%.

In Bari the new mayor is Vito Leccese, candidate of the centre-left, who with 70.27% of the votes beat his challenger from the centre-right, Fabio Romito, who stopped at 29.73%. In Lecce, Adriana Poli Bortone, from the centre-right, obtained 50.69% of the votes, beating the outgoing mayor Carlo Salvemini (49.31%). In Potenza, success for the centre-left with Vincenzo Telesca, who with 64.92% of the preferences beat the centre-right candidate, Francesco Fanelli (35.08%).

Voting for the second round of municipal elections also took place in six other municipalities in Puglia. In Manfredonia, Domenico La Marca of the centre-left (59.58%) defeated Ugo Galli, candidate of the centre-right (40.62%). In San Severo, Filippo Barbano, supported by the 5 Star Movement and the Democratic Party, won with 59.39% of the votes, beating Michele Crisetti, candidate of the Democratic Party (40.61%). In San Severo, the centre-right candidate, Lidya Colangelo (51.87%), beat her challenger Angelo Masucci of the centre-left (48.13%), thus becoming the first woman to lead the city in the Foggia area. In Putignano, in the Bari area, Michele Vinella, with 52.46% of the votes, beat the outgoing mayor Luciana Laera, who stopped at 47.54%. In Santeramo in Colle, also in the Bari area, the outgoing mayor, Vincenzo Casone (54.33%), was confirmed, having prevailed over Nunzio Zeverino Digregorio, candidate of the center-right (45.67%). In Copertino, in the Lecce area, Vincenzo De Giorgi of the center-right won with 53.82% of the preferences, beating the center-left challenger, Antonio Leo, who stopped at 32.73%.

Vincenzo Murgolo