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Sicily elections: head-to-head between the center-right and the M5s

The two sides vie for victory in Sunday's Sicilian regionals – The increasingly split left is playing for third place, with the candidate of the extreme left, Claudio Fava, undermining that of the Democratic Party, Fabrizio Micari.

Sicily elections: head-to-head between the center-right and the M5s

We are at the last, fiery, days of the electoral campaign. On Sunday 5 November the Sicilians will be called upon to choose the president of the Region and the 70 deputies of the Sicilian Regional Assembly.

A vote that has already crossed the coasts of the Trinacria for many months on the wave of the direct link between Palermo and Rome, a link that today becomes tighter than ever given the imminence of the National vote and is transformed into a real bench of evidence capable of influencing the internal balances of individual coalitions and parties in view of the 2018 elections.

While national and local politicians continue to humiliate each other trying to grab as many votes as possible, the Sicilians try to figure out what to do in a general climate of distrust who risks being the real protagonist of this electoral round.

Based on a survey carried out by the institute demopolis last October 20 (last day for the dissemination of the surveys before the usual ban on disclosure) the trust that Sicilians have in the "Region" institution has dropped to 12% from 33% in 2006. A figure that almost represents a sort of historical record, obviously negative, almost 20 points lower than the national average and which risks making abstention skyrocket.

In this context there will be five competing for the role of president of Ars: Giancarlo Cancelleri, Claudio Fava, Fabrizio Micari, Nello Musumeci and Roberto La Rosa.

Let's start with the centre-right. In the Musumeci he is one of the big favorites and is the only candidate who goes to the vote supported by an entire coalition. To support it Forza Italia, Noi with Salvini, Fratelli d'Italia, Sgarbi, Civic Choice, Mpa, Liberal Party, Cantiere Popolare, New Cdu and other civic lists. The centre-right, after the initial discussions, managed to unite with the former president of the Province of Catania, a union which for many, in case of victory, could pave the way for a much wider coalition on a national scale.

Despite the sparks relating to "the unpresentable" present in the lists supporting Musumeci, according to the polls his candidacy remains one of the strongest, even if the Five Stars will try to contend with him for the seat of President Giancarlo Cancelleri.

The candidate of the Five Star Movement, who traditionally runs alone, has been engaged in an all-round electoral campaign for months and months to try to conquer Sicily. It is no coincidence that all the big names of the Movement have arrived in Trinacria: from the "new boss" Luigi Di Maio to Alessandro Di Battista, up to the guarantor "Beppe Grillo" who first from Palermo and then from Catania invited citizens to vote for "a new world".

While the two most popular contenders clash in a battle of "declarations to the death", the left continues to argue, confirming an internal division which from Rome to Sicily seems incurable and which puts at risk not only the outcome of the island vote, but also and above all the national one next April.

The Democratic Party sided with the rector of the University of Palermo, Fabrizio Micari sponsored by the mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando. Alongside him once again Angelino Alfano's Popular Area, but also Future Sicily, Democratic Center and Rosario Crocetta. The outgoing Governor, after having expressed his willingness to run for months for months, has decided to take a step back.

To the left of the Democratic Party we find the list "One Hundred Steps to Sicily" supported by the Italian Left, Mdp, Possibile and the Communist Refoundation. Official Candidate: Claudius Fava.

Two different candidates who risk stealing each other's votes, handing over the island to their opponents. A reality that Micari did not fail to underline, frontally attacking the Mdp who refused to join the centre-left coalition due to the agreement with the PA: "If we take into account the polls - said the candidate - adding up the percentages attributed to me with those that are given to Fava, the prediction is close to that of Musumeci and Cancelleri ”. Then the direct accusation: "It was the Roman leaders of the MDP who did not want the agreement, despite the fact that the local leaders were the first to converge on my name", concluded Micari.

There are to prove him right polls. The last survey carried out by Demos last October 20, 24 hours after the entry into force of the prohibition sanctioned by law, places Musumeci at 35,5%, followed by just over two points behind Cancelleri (33,2%). Micari is much more distant, which according to the survey should reach 15,7 percent, closely followed by Fava at 13,8%.

demopolis instead to separate the center-right candidate from that of the M5S there would be only one percentage point: 36% for Musumeci, 35% for Cancelleri. In this case, the greatest gap would instead be between Micari, at 21% and Fava, still at 7%.

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