Italy returns to the vote. From Ancona to Brescia to Siena, here are the main challenges of the weekend

Twelve provincial capitals and one regional capital. Sunday 14 and Monday 15 May a part of Italy returns to the vote for the renewal of about 800 municipalities. Or at least, for the first round, because in municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants if a candidate does not reach 50 per cent plus one of the total votes, there will be a runoff between the two with the most votes, which in this case would take place on 28 and May 29 next. Instead, as regards the municipalities of the regions with special status (the hypothesis that in this electoral window it will concern Sicily and Sardinia), the vote will take place directly on the weekend at the end of May.

From Ancona to Trapani, passing through Brescia and Siena: what are the main challenges?

Considering that the premier herself took to the field Giorgia Meloni, who held a rally in the city on Monday 8 May in support of the center-right candidate, it is clear how the spotlights are focused above all on Ancona, the only regional capital called to vote. In the municipality of the Marche region, the center-left rules, with the mayor Valeria Mancinelli, a member of the Democratic Party. But as happened with the government of the region, where the center-right managed to win with Francis Acquaroli (expression of FdI) after years of unchallenged domination of the left, Meloni has made up her mind to win even in the port city. For this Fratelli d’Italia, Lega and Forza Italia are betting on Daniel Silvettiwhile the centre-left plays its chips on Ida Simonella. The M5s will have its own candidate: Francesco Rubini.

In Brescia, where until last March the mayor was Emile Del Bonowho resigned after his election to the Lombardy regional council, the Pd proposes the current deputy mayor Laura Castelletti. The center-right ranks Fabio Rolfi, former deputy mayor at the time of the Paroli administration. The M5s will have a candidate together with the Popular Union: Alessandro Lucà.

The entrepreneur is on the field in Terni Stefano Bandecchi, patron of the Cusano Campus University and of Ternana, the city’s team. The centre-right lines up the outgoing budget councilor Orlando Masselli. While the centre-left, with Elly Schlein who has also come to the city, supports the professor of Argentinean origins Josì Maria Kerry.

In general, out of thirteen capitals, the center-right currently governs 8, the center-left 5.

The centre-left wants to reconquer the Tuscan cities

In Pisa, where in 2018 he won by surprise Michael Conti supported by the center-right, the Schlein secretariat will experiment with the alliance with Giuseppe Conte’s M5s. To regain the progressive fiefdom, the Democrats and the Grillini will also make use of the United Left in the coalition, deploying Paolo Martinelli, in opposition to the outgoing mayor. But in Tuscany there are also other interesting challenges. First of all that of Siena, where the independent (but supported by all the center-right) has governed since 2018 Louis DeMossi. Here Meloni, Salvini and Berlusconi bet on Nicoletta Fabio, while Anna Ferretti will be the Pd candidate. In this case the so-called “wide field” is fragmented, because the M5 will also have its own candidate: Elena Boldrini.

In Massa, (where Giuseppe Conte was attacked by a No vax protester), on the other hand, the breakup of the coalition that now leads the country is taking place. Why the outgoing mayor Francesco Persiani, the first since the war to be an expression of the centre-right, was disheartened last March. He will be supported by Lega and Forza Italia, while Fratelli d’Italia proposes his own candidate: Marco Guidi. In the Apuan city, the Democratic Party is betting on the doctor Enzo Romolo Riccithe M5s on Daniela Bennate. Summing up, the dialogue between the new secretary of the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement, for these administrations, brings home an alliance in just 6 capitals scattered around the country: in addition to Pisa, they will run together with Brindisi, Teramo, Latina, Catania and Syracuse.

The Imperia case, where Scajola challenges his historical “accuser”.

In Imperia, the former interior minister Claudio Scajola seeks re-election as mayor. There will be a challenge Ivan Bracco, historic deputy police commissioner who is behind many of the accusations and lines of investigation that concerned the historic center-right exponent. Cases for which in the end, on practically every occasion, we have reached the filing.