Italy’s right-wing coalition is advancing in local elections

At the Democratic Party (PD, center-left) election campaign headquarters in Vicenza this Monday, there were high expectations before second round of local elections scheduled for the end of the month. Many believe that their candidate Giacomo Possamai (33) will overcome the current mayor of the right-wing coalition, Francesco Rucca (48).

“I am optimistic. I voted for the PD, I always have,” says Giorgio, a retiree in his 70s from this northeastern Italian town. Another retiree, Paola, has also opted for Posamai but believes Rucco will win. “A lot of people vote for the right. because they like the national government [de Giorgia Meloni]which is right-wing,” he says. Her daughter, who is in her company, confirms this with a smile: “I am an example of that, I voted for Meloni in the general elections in September, and now I voted for Rucco”. Chiara, a student, also voted for the right-wing mayor because she says that “he is a practical person, who thinks about concrete things”. Another student stands out: “I voted for the priority of environmental issues, which unfortunately are not a priority for any of the candidates.”

Vicenza is a microcosm that reflects the growing divisions in Italy. Between Sunday and Monday, 595 municipalities in the country voted, including the regional capital and 17 provincial ones, and in many cases there will be a runoff between left and right candidates, including Vicenza. There are exceptions. In Brescia, the centre-left candidate has already secured victory, while in Imperia and Treviso, the rightist won. Overall, he is winning even in cities previously governed by the center left, such as the Latino City Council.

Until recently, Italians voted one way in local or regional elections, and another in national elections. But things are changing, perhaps because of the leaders who lead the four main Italian parties: Elly Schlein (PD), Giuseppe Conte (5 Star Movement), Giorgia Meloni (Brothers of Italy) and Matteo Salvini (League) are clearly leaders of the left or right, far from the centrism that characterized the liberal billionaire Silvio Berlusconi and his historical opponent, the Catholic professor Romano Prodi .

Abstinence was significant. Barely 59% of voters voted, versus 63.9% for locals in 2018. But even where turnout was high, divisions persist. Bema is a mountain municipality of about one hundred inhabitants in the province of Sondrio (north). There, 71.22 percent of voters went to the polls, and the result made it to the national newspapers: the current mayor and his centre-left opponent received 49 votes each.

In the networks, some attribute the increase in abstention to the previous executive authorities of the center left, others to the right and predict that Meloni’s government will soon fall. In any case, words like “resignation” and “no confidence” are common.