Local elections: over 6 million Italians vote in mayoral polls seen to be a fresh test for Meloni

By Fortunato Pinto Published on 25/05/2026 - 6:10 GMT+2•Updated 6:13 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

After defeat in the justice referendum, the vote is seen as a fresh test for Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition government.

Polls for mayoral elections in some 749 Italian municipalities reopen on Monday following the first day of voting on Sunday, the final electoral test before the 2027 general election.

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More than six million Italians are eligible to vote in the election to elect mayors and new municipal councils in 700 municipalities, including a regional capital, Venice, and fifteen provincial capitals.

According to local reports, Sunday's poll saw around 46.5% voter turnout, slightly lower than the previous election, where turnout was recorded to have been 50.1%.was recorded to be 50.1%.

The run-off, for municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, is scheduled for 7 and 8 June, dates on which voting will also be held in Sardinia in 149 municipalities concerned; there, the run-off is set for 21 and 22 June.

Voters are going to the polls in Venice and infifteen provincial capitals: Andria, Agrigento, Arezzo, Avellino, Chieti, Crotone, Enna, Fermo, Lecco, Macerata, Mantua, Messina, Pistoia, Prato, Reggio Calabria, Salerno and Trani.

Fresh test for Meloni after defeat in referendum

This vote is a first, crucial test for the Meloni government, a way to gauge how solid its support remains in the country ahead of a general election expected next year.

It also comes after Meloni's defeat in the referendum on justice reform in March, shattering the Italian premier's aura of political invincibility.

The election round could either reassure the centre-right majority about the stability of its bond with the electorate or sound a fresh alarm bell ahead of next year’s general election.

At the same time, the vote will measure the strength and real scope of the progressive “broad camp”, which needs to assess whether a united alternative for 2027 is feasible. The coalitions appear fragmented from one area to another, with local dynamics that see Azione allied with the centre-right in some key cities and the centre-left split in others.

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• Meloni admits defeat as Italians reject judicial reform in major referendum

The main contest in the big cities

The main contest is being fought in 118 municipalities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, where the two blocs are vying for key strongholds that were previously governed by the opposite side.

In Venice, the centre-left is trying to win back the city after ten years of centre-right rule under Brugnaro, while in Reggio Calabria the situation is reversed, with the centre-right seeking a breakthrough after the terms served by Democrat Falcomatà.

Equally complex are the scenarios in Crotone and Salerno, where the civic candidacy of former governor Vincenzo De Luca stands out against the backdrop of a divided progressive camp.

It is precisely the outcome of these specific and delicate local races that is likely to tip the balance and determine which coalition emerges as the winner.

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• Giorgia Meloni
• Italy
• Venice