Silvio Berlusconi, president of Forza Italia, a party that together with the Brotherhood of Italia and La Liga forms the ruling far-right coalition, highlighted in statements released by RAI News that “for the first time in history we have taken over the municipality of Ancona from the left, the only regional capital in which the vote took place”.
This second round of elections took place in those localities in which no candidate received more than 50.0 percent of the vote during the elections held on May 14-15 in the country’s 595 municipalities.
Attention focused on Ancona, as well as the provincial capitals of Massa, Pisa, Siena, Brindisi, Terni and Vicenza, but the left weakened by the division could only prevail in the latter, an outcome described by leader Eli Schlein as a “clear defeat” of the Democratic Party (PD).
“This is an administration election, but it shows that the right-wing tailwinds are still strong,” Schlein said, adding that “more time will be needed to rebuild trust and rebuild a new, competitive and successful left.”
“You can’t win alone,” admitted the leader of the main opposition force, referring to the division among progressive groups that undermines their political potential, which is why “we must rebuild an alternative right-wing field that is divided, but in at least united when it comes to voting ยป.
Between Sunday and last Monday, the first round of elections was also held in 39 municipalities in Sicily, including the provincial capitals of Catania, Trapani, Ragusa and Syracuse, as well as in 128 other cities in Sardinia, although the final results are still unknown. Polls are in favor of the right, too.
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