Italy's right-wing coalition in government won regional elections held on Sunday and Monday in two important regions, according to the first preliminary results, an election marked by a high abstention rate.
The coalition formed by Fratelli d'Italia (FDI, extreme right) of the head of government Giorgia Meloni, the Antimigrant League of Matteo Salvini and Forza Italia (FI, right) of Silvio Berlusconi won the two most populated regions of the peninsula, Lombardy, around Milan, the economic heart of the country, and Lazio, the region of the capital Rome.
“clear victory”
According to the first projection, based on the counting of 5% of the ballots by an institute on behalf of the public television RAI, the candidate of the right in Lombardy, the outgoing governor Attilio Fontana, member of the League, is credited with 54, 4% of the votes, while his pursuer on the left is credited with 33.6%.
In Lazio, the right is ahead with 52.1% of the vote for Francesco Rocca, former president of the Italian Red Cross, against 34.7% for the left-wing candidate, Alessio D'Amato, outgoing health official from the region, which admitted its defeat.
"Congratulations to Francesco Rocca, president, and Attilio Fontana, president, for the clear victory in the regional 2023 (...) a result which consolidates the unity of the right and strengthens the action of the government"
, reacted Giorgia Meloni on Twitter.
"Victoire. Thank you Lombardy, thank you Lazio”
, had tweeted shortly before Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister of the Meloni government.
This vote was marked by very high abstention, with only 37.2% participation in Lazio, against 63.1% in 2018, and 41.6% in Lombardy, against 73.1% in 2018. One of the stakes will be the individual result of the parties of the coalition in power, which could have repercussions on the balance of power between FDI, the League and FI.
The League and FI are losing momentum while FDI continues to progress, according to a poll published by the Youtrend institute on February 2: in the event of new elections at national level, its score would rise to 29.4% against 26% in the September legislative.
The League is at 8.7% and FI at 7%, according to the same poll.
Read alsoGiorgia Meloni: from neofascism to conservatism
Giorgia Meloni also benefits from the inability of opposition parties to unite against her.
The Democratic Party (PD, left), busy looking for a new leader, is retreating in the face of the rise of the 5 Star Movement, while the center remains stable.
The Italian regions have significant autonomy from the central government in many areas, including health, transport or education.
