From the first administrative laboratory in Italy to the total absence from the ballot paper, read M5s in Parma, to the center-right that in Piacenza sends signals of unity to national leaders, passing through the Pd that for once can play the attack, finding itself in the opposition in all four municipalities with more than 15 thousand inhabitants where there is a vote, which is unusual in these latitudes.
In Emilia-Romagna the elections concern 21 municipalities, about 360 thousand voters and two provincial capitals. Parma and Piacenza are two neighboring cities and linked for many social, economic and cultural aspects, but the political situation between the two cities could not be more different: in the meantime, because in Parma the era of Federico Pizzarotti ends, who has completed his second term and not even running as a municipal councilor, while in Piacenza the outgoing mayor Patrizia Barbieri can go hunting for an encore. Then because the coalitions and the parties are presented in very different forms, partly due to local specificities, partly due to the aftershocks of national politics which in these elections has the last test before next year’s policies.
The 5-star Movement is not present in Parma, which in 2012 won its first important victory right here and right with Pizzarotti. For the rest, the center-left is united behind Michele Guerra, the outgoing councilor for culture, also supported by the Democratic Party who, after ten years of his opposition, has signed an alliance with ‘Effetto Parma’, the civic movement founded by Pizzarotti after the his exit from the M5s. Guerra closed his electoral campaign with the regional president Stefano Bonaccini at his side and, after the visit a few days ago, he also had the confirmation of Enrico Letta’s support.
“Sunday is a very important vote for Parma. A vote that goes to support a political project on which we have worked with commitment, attention, determination”, explained the Pd leader in a video message. The center-right, on the other hand, has fragmented: the Lega and Forza Italia support an old acquaintance of Parma politics, Pietro Vignali, mayor from 2007 to 2011 (when he resigned after a judicial investigation), while the Brothers of Italy chose the solitary race, supporting Priamo Bocchi. Civilization of Parma, historic civic list by Elvio Ubaldi, candidated by Dario Costi, in alliance with Action. The three also shared the national leaders with Salvini, Tajani, Meloni and Calenda arrived in Parma, but only in the previous days.
In Piacenza the situation is substantially reversed, with the main parties of the center-right compact in support of the outgoing mayor Patrizia Barbieri. In this case, the center-left is divided: the Democratic Party, with Italia Viva and Piacenza Coraggiosa, supports the regional councilor Katia Tarasconi, while the left, in tandem with the M5s, but also with + Europe, nominates the former municipal councilor Stefano Cugini. Another candidacy, however, could draw in the Barbieri basin: that of the historic leader of Piacenza liberals Corrado Sforza Fogliani, former national president of Confedilizia.
In addition to Budrio (Bologna), there is also voting in Riccione (Rimini) where the historic disc jockey and talent scout Claudio Cecchetto is a candidate at the head of a civic list. He will try to enter the challenge between the center-right that has ruled the ‘Green Pearl’ of the Adriatic since 2014 and the center-left that will try to regain its historic fiefdom.
Source: Ansa
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