Giuliano Pisapia is mayor of Milan, while Luigi de Magistris gains the Municipality of Naples. This is the result of the most awaited challenges of the second round of the administrations.
Giuliano Pisapia is ahead of Letizia Moratti, 55% against 45%. For the first time since 1993 that the centre-left conquered the keys to Palazzo Marino. De Magistris' success in Naples exceeded all expectations: 65% for the candidate from the IDV, while Lettieri from the PDL falls back from the first round and settles at 34%. The left tears Cagliari away from the right for the first time since the direct election of mayors was introduced: Zedda beats the center-right candidate Fantola with 59%. Trieste changes hands, with Cosolino of the centre-left at 57%. In Varese, the centre-right prevails with 54%, while Novara switches sides and the Democratic Party candidate prevails with 53%. In contrast Rovigo, where the new mayor is elected by the PDL with 50,5% of the votes and Cosenza.
The centre-left also wins in Grosseto, Crotone, Rimini, Pordenone. At the provincial elections, he reconfirmed himself in Trieste and Mantua, while he conquered Pavia and Macerata, where the Democratic Party had forged an unprecedented alliance with the UDC. The centre-right imposes itself in Vercelli and conquers Reggio Calabria.
From the point of view of political geography, the most interesting datum of this electoral round is the success of the centre-left in areas where it has historically not been strong. The vote of Milan and Cagliari constitutes a unicum in the 18 years of direct elections of the municipalities but it is not the only novelty.
Of particular importance, the electoral results in the Milanese hinterland: the coalition asserted itself in the province of Milan in Rho, San Giuliano and Cassano d'Adda. In Brianza, the left takes Limbiate, Desio and Arcore, where Prime Minister Berlusconi has his residence. The fall of Gallarate, in the province of Varese, was disruptive: a result that could create alert in the Northern League base. In the nearby Piedmont, the reversals of Novara and Domodossola stand out.
The polls closed at 15 pm today: the focus is on the two most politically relevant challenges, Milan and Naples. In the Lombard capital, the center-left candidate, Giuliano Pisapia, had a clear advantage in the first round two weeks ago, with 48% of the votes, compared to 41,6% for the outgoing mayor, Letizia Moratti. While in Naples, Gianni Lettieri (PDL) had obtained 37,5%, followed by Luigi de Magistris (IDV) with 27,5% (but in the second round de Magistris enjoys the support of the Pd, whose candidate had stopped at 19%).
Turnout in sharp decline, throughout Italy, compared to two weeks ago. At 15 pm on Monday, 60,28% had voted, against 72,26% in the first round. Participation below the national average in Naples (voters were 50,5%, compared to 60,3%), while in Milan the situation went against the trend: when the polls closed, 67,3% of those voting right, substantially equal to 67,5% on 15 May.
Voting took place in 88 municipalities, 13 of which were provincial capitals: Milan, Novara, Varese, Rovigo, Rimini, Grosseto, Naples, Cosenza, Crotone, Trieste, Pordenone, Cagliari and Iglesias. The ballot also concerns 6 provincial administrations: Vercelli, Mantua, Pavia, Trieste, Macerata and Reggio Calabria. In Sicily, voting takes place in the first round in 27 municipalities (the only capital being Ragusa).
