Italy’s center-right coalition has secured important victories in municipal elections, retaining control of Venice and winning Reggio Calabria in the first round, while the center-left achieved gains in several other major cities, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu.

The outcome was viewed as a positive result for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing alliance, particularly in Venice, where expectations had grown for a potential center-left breakthrough following a recent setback for the governing bloc in a justice-related referendum.

In Venice, Simone Venturini, supported by Meloni’s Brothers of Italy coalition, won the mayoral race outright with nearly 51% of the vote, avoiding a runoff. He defeated Democratic Party Senator Andrea Martella, who led a broad center-left coalition ranging from reformist groups to the Communist Refoundation Party.

The result contradicted predictions that the governing coalition might be weakening after opposition parties interpreted the referendum outcome as a sign of declining public support.

The center-right also recorded a strong win in Reggio Calabria, where Francesco Cannizzaro of Forza Italia was elected mayor with 65.6% of the vote. He defeated acting mayor Domenico Battaglia, who received 24.7%.

In Salerno, Vincenzo De Luca, former president of the Campania region, returned to the mayor’s office with 58% of the vote.

The center-left secured victories in several cities, including Mantua, Pistoia, Avellino, and Andria, while Matteo Biffoni retained control of Prato under the broad “Campo Largo” progressive alliance.

In Messina, incumbent mayor Federico Basile of the Sud Chiama Nord party, led by former Sicilian regional politician Cateno De Luca, was comfortably re-elected.

Several municipalities, including Agrigento and Arezzo, will proceed to runoff elections in two weeks after no candidate achieved an absolute majority.

Voter turnout stood at 60.06%, down nearly five percentage points compared to the previous local elections across around 750 municipalities and 18 provincial capitals.

Prime Minister Meloni congratulated the newly elected mayors and dismissed claims that the results signaled weakening support for her coalition, writing: “And even today, we are postponing the much-heralded collapse of the center-right until tomorrow.”

Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein said the results showed progressive alliances remain competitive when united nationwide.

Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said it was too early to draw national conclusions before the runoff elections are completed.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev