Premier Matteo Renzi on Monday
hailed the results of Sunday's regional elections, in which his
Democratic Party (PD) won in five out of seven regions holding
ballots.
"The result...is very positive," he said. "We move on
therefore with even more determination in the process of
renewing the party and changing the country".
Voter turnout was in decline, with 52.2% turning out for
the regional vote - down approximately 10 points over the last
such elections - and 65% turning out for municipal votes in 512
cities and towns - down 7 points.
The northeastern Veneto region as expected reconfirmed
incumbent Luca Zaia from the anti-immigrant, anti-euro Northern
League as its governor with 50.08% of the vote, against 22.74%
for the PD's Alessandra Moretti.
In Campania, the PD's Vincenzo De Luca at 41.15% unseated
center-right incumbent Stefano Caldoro with 38.37%, while in the
Marche region the PD's Luca Ceriscioli gained 41.07%, followed
by Gianni Maggi from the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) at 21.78%.
They were trailed by rightwing candidate Francesco
Acquaroli (18.98%) and center-right candidate Gian Mario Spacca
(14.21%).
In Puglia, the PD's Michele Emiliano won in a landslide
47.1%, with all other candidates trailing at below 20%.
In traditionally leftwing Tuscany, the PD's Enrico Rossi
garnered 48.03%, with the center-right's Claudio Borghi lagging
by over 20 points.
In Umbria the race was closer, with PD candidate Catiuscia
Marini at 42.78% of the vote against the center-right's Claudio
Ricci at 39.27%.
The ruling center-left party suffered a massive setback in
its traditional stronghold of Liguria after an internal rift
caused a PD splinter coalition to field its own candidate.
After a decade in power, it lost to centre-right candidate
Giovanni Toti (34,44%) a close aide of Forza Italia (FI) leader
Silvio Berlusconi who was also backed by the Northern League.
PD candidate Raffaella Paita won 27.84% of the vote, while
ex-PD candidate Luca Pastorino took 9.41%.
"Pastorino has carried out a political masterpiece and
handed the region over to one of Berlusconi's men," Paita said.
Also on Monday, Northern League leader Matteo Salvini said
his rightwing party is now the main alternative to Renzi's PD
after its strong showing Sunday.
"Yesterday the Italian people who voted decided that the
alternative programme to Renzi is that of the League," Salvini
told a press conference.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
