2025 municipal elections in Lombardy, polls open: the municipalities and mayoral candidates

Milan, May 25, 2025 – Here we are. There are 18 Lombardy municipalities voting to choose the mayor and renew the Council. An appointment marked by a common denominator: none of these Administrations expires naturally after the five years required by law. There are various reasons: political crises, resignations, sudden disappearances.

The elections will involve 230,426 residents: 187,686 voters called to the polls between Sunday 25 and Monday 26 May in the 210 sections set up in the polling stations of the region. Without an absolute majority, there will be a runoff between the two mayoral candidates on 8 and 9 June . This eventuality could concern only four municipalities this year, the only ones with a population above 15 thousand inhabitants: Cernusco sul Naviglio and Rozzano in the province of Milan, Desio in the province of Monza and Brianza, Saronno in the province of Varese. The other 14 Lombardy centers voting, however, will know the final result already on the evening of 26 May: to wear the tricolor sash, in fact, one more vote will be enough.

The Decrees of the President of the Republic calling for five popular abrogative referendums with the convening of the related rallies for Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June 2025 were also published in the Official Journal of the Italian Republic no. 75 of 31 March 2025.

All the Municipalities to vote

The electoral consultation in Lombardy involves 18 municipalities out of 1502 (1.2%), of which only 4 have over 15 thousand inhabitants.

The municipalities with over 15,000 inhabitants are: Cernusco sul Naviglio and Rozzano in the province of Milan, Desio in the province of Monza and Brianza and Saronno in the province of Varese.

The other 14 municipalities with a population of less than 15 thousand inhabitants are Calcinate, Canonica d'Adda and Castione della Presolana (BG), San Felice del Benaco (BS), Asso, Binago and Cirimido (CO), San Daniele Po (CR), Santo Stefano Lodigiano (LO), Opera and Robecchetto con Induno (MI), Calvignano (PV), Arcisate and Castellanza (VA).

MUNICIPALITIES OVER 15,000 INHABITANTS Cernusco sul Naviglio

In Cernusco sul Naviglio, in the province of Milan, people are going to vote to elect a new mayor who will take over from Ermanno Zacchetti, who died prematurely in July 2024, and who was elected in 2022. Since his death, the prefect had given the deputy mayor Paola Colombo the task of leading the administration until the first available electoral appointment.

There are four candidates for mayor. Paola Colombo , heir to the Democratic Party-led council that has led the Milanese municipality for four terms. Supported by the Democratic Party, Cernusco Possibile and the Tutti per Cernusco list (with the Manifesto for a Liberal and Reformist Cernusco, which other forces have also joined: Azione, Orizzonti Liberali, towards the Liberal Democratic Party, and + Europa). Then, the principal Claudio Mereghetti , who will run for the centre-right with Dimensione Cernusco, Cernusco al centro , Forza Italia, Lega and Fratelli d'Italia, Danilo Radaelli, candidate of Vivere Cernusco e Adesso. And Danilo Radaelli at the head of Vivere Cernusco e Adesso, and Valentina Tedesco, supported by La Città in Comune, Sinistra per Cernusco and the 5 Stelle.

Rozzano

Rozzano will also have to choose a new mayor after the sudden death of Gianni Ferretti last November. His son Mattia, 34, is ready to take up his father's legacy: a graduate in Economics and Commerce with a master's in International Business and experience as a bartender in Scotland, he is currently a city councilor and assessor with responsibility for budget and participating companies. He is a candidate for the center-right and will lead the coalition made up of the Rozzano per Ferretti list, supported by Fratelli d'Italia, Forza Italia, Lega per Salvini, and the lists Alleanza per Rozzano, Lombardia Ideale and Noi Moderati. In continuity with the Rozzano center-left project, started last year and now enriched by the entry of the 5 Star Movement , the Democratic Party, Alleanza Verdi and Sinistra have announced the candidacy of Leo Missi, manager of a multinational leader in the energy sector.

Desire

Four candidates will take to the field in the administrative elections to win the mayor's seat in Desio , the only municipality in Brianza up for renewal in this round of elections. The electoral campaign was brief and unexpected , due to the mass resignations registered by 16 city councilors (eight from the majority and eight from the opposition), an act that had put an early end to the experience of mayor Simone Gargiulo.

The center-right is back together with all the parties of the center-right intending to support the candidacy of the outgoing deputy mayor Andrea Villa, he is from the League but also wanted by Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia. The center-left is banking on Carlo Moscatelli, the ideal figure to reconcile the Democratic Party and the Polo Civico (which brings together Desio Viva, Desio Libera and Insieme per Desio). Among the two big names are also two outsiders: Alessio Alberti, who presents himself as a centrist, supported by his civic Desio Popolare, by Azione and by the Republican Party. He is trying to intercept the vote of the moderates. The opposite attempt, however, is that of Iaia Piumatti: the only woman in the running, she is the head of a coalition that brings together Sinistra per Desio and the Movimento 5 Stelle. With the support of the Pentastellati, she is aiming to obtain the vote of citizens against the construction of the Pedemontana.

Saronno

With about 39 thousand inhabitants and over 30 thousand registered voters, it is the most populous center among those voting. There are four mayoral candidates ready to compete for the tricolor sash, because the 5 Star Movement has given up the race and so has the Green Left Alliance.

The first to formalize her candidacy was Novella Ciceroni, a member of Obiettivo Saronno, supported by a coalition with two other civic lists, Idea Futuro and Saronno Sicura. The scenario in the center-left is divided. On one side there is Ilaria Pagani, supported by the Partito Democratico, the civic list Tu@Saronno and Insieme per Crescere, a civic formation close to Azione. On the other side, two civic lists – Saronno Civica and Percorso Democratico – support the candidacy of former mayor Augusto Airoldi. The last to dissolve the reservations was Rienzo Azzi. His candidacy is supported by the entire center-right, with the support of Forza Italia, Fratelli d'Italia and Lega. Azzi, a well-known dentist, former regional councilor and provincial assessor, announced that he wants to serve only one term, focusing above all on a team that leads to reasoning on a vision of Saronno, rather than on small contingent problems.

MUNICIPALITIES WITH LESS THAN 15,000 POPULATIONS BERGAMO Calcinate

In Calcinate, in the Bergamo area, last February, Angelo Orlando was left alone, first by the majority and then by the minority. And it was precisely the latter's step back that averted a long receivership and allowed the Municipality to return to the May elections. The challenge will be a challenge within a challenge between former fellow administrators. In Calcinate there are three lists: Calcinate più, Calcinate al Centro and Lorena Boni. The first sees Angelo Orlando as its main candidate for mayor, winner of the last elections and ousted in February. The slogan chosen for the candidacy is a phrase by the actress Audrey Hepburn: "The greatest misery of certain people is to denigrate others to elevate themselves". The Calcinate al Centro list, on the other hand, supports Paola Taiocchi as its candidate for mayor, who together with the list sent the other two candidates to the public debate. The third list, Lorena Boni - Controcorrente per Calcinate supports Lorena Boni, who was an opposition councilor during the last mandate.

Canonica d'Adda

In Canonica d'Adda, in the Bergamo area , there is Marisa Amabile , chief of staff of the prefecture of Bergamo, after the mayor Riccardo Sonzogni and his majority had resigned a few months after taking office. There are two lists here: ColoriAMo Canonica and Canonica Civica. The candidate for mayor of the first is the architect Clara Previtali, already a candidate for the seat of mayor in 2024 and previously a minority municipal councilor. Paolo Arcari, tax consultant, former councilor and municipal councilor between 1995 and 2009, is the candidate of the Canonica Civica list.

Presolana Castle

In Castione della Presolana , in the Bergamo area, the administration, since August 2024, has been entrusted to Iole Galasso in the role of commissioner, following the resignation of Angelo Migliorati. Here, the challengers will be Leonardo La Rosa , who entered the Council last year with 'Community and Future', and Samantha Tagliaferri, at her first administrative experience.

BRESCIA San Felice del Benaco

San Felice del Benaco , the only municipality in the Brescia area to vote, is starting from scratch, after the administration of last summer . A year ago, the electoral round ended with the victory of Lorenza Baccolo who led the civic group Obiettivo San Felice, but the Administration was never installed: the majority of the councilors had resigned before the installation, determining the dissolution of the Municipal Council and the arrival of the commissioner.

Three are running for election. Luca Serafini , minority councilor in the five-year period 2019-2024 under the Zuin Administration, is the candidate for Civica per Passione. Marzia Manovali, city councilor with responsibility for Culture and Tourism from 2009 to 2019 and currently on the board of directors of the Cominelli Foundation, is the candidate for mayor of Civica per San Felice. Gianluigi Marsiletti, already mayor from 2004 to 2009 and then opposition councilor, leads the Nuovo Impegno Civico list.

AS ASSO

In Asso, in the Como area, two lists have been made official for the elections: that of the former mayor Tiziano Aceti and that of his former councilor Mirko Donadini Pina. With the civic list Rinnoviamo Asso La Vallategna, Aceti will submit himself to the judgment of his fellow citizens who have given him their trust twice. Challenging him is Mirko Donadini Pina , former councilor for the Budget with Aceti, who resigned with three colleagues decreeing the early end of his mandate, and who is running for the list Siamo Asso.

Binago

The municipal elections of June 8 and 9, 2024 in Binago , a municipality in the province of Como, had a surprise in store: despite the presence of only one candidate, Alfredo Garavaglia of the 'Movimento Alternativo' list, the Municipality was unable to elect a mayor. The cause was the failure to reach the quorum of 40% of voters required to validate the election. This year, they are trying again. There are three mayoral candidates: Davide Amonini with Uniti per Binago; Maria Luisa Brai supported by Fratelli d'Italia and Binago in Movimento, and Maricla Vitulo supported by Esperienza e Rinnovamento.

Cirimido

In Cirimido there is only one mayoral candidate: Mario Antonio Galli supported by Insieme per Cirimido.

CREMONA San Daniele Po

In the province of Cremona, the only municipality called to the polls to elect the new council is San Daniele Po, placed under special administration following the failure to present any list in the 2024 electoral round. The challenge will be between Simone Cadenazzi, candidate of the Progetto Comune list or Pierantonio Paternazzi of the Conoscere per Ripartire list. Both freelancers, the first an architect, the second an accountant, are presenting themselves at the head of two civic lists , as is now the practice in municipal elections especially in small towns.

LODI Santo Stefano Lodigiano

In Santo Stefano Lodigiano it will be a three-way challenge . The outgoing mayor Marinella Testolina has put herself at the head of the civic group “Continuità e Futuro“ to try for an encore. Last February, her executive was dissolved after the mass resignation of the minority and Roberta de Francesco was appointed Commissioner. Testolina's challengers are Mauro Bonfanti with 'Uniti per ripartire' and Paola Rossi with 'Il bene Comune'. The executive, in February, was dissolved after the mass resignation of the minority.

MILAN Opera

In Opera, in the Milan area, after a long crisis, last October, the mayor Barbara Barbrieri has resigned. For this election, Ettore Fusco is the center-right candidate for mayor . He was mayor of Opera for ten years, then served as a metropolitan city councilor. Giuseppe Calcagno is the center-left candidate for mayor, supported by the Democratic Party, Italia Viva and Independents of the Center-left of doing. Calcagno, 52, has lived in Opera with his family since 2010. He is a new face on the local political scene, but he brings with him a wealth of technical skills and a strong personal motivation. Between the center-right and the center-left, "Opera Prima" appears on the Opera political scene, the non-partisan civic list led by Fabiana Di Pino, 47, a municipal employee, who grew up in Opera where, for over 23 years, she worked for the Municipality as an administrator in various sectors: since January 2025, she has worked for another body. After Ettore Fusco's two terms, Opera has had two mayors; Antonino Nucera (FI and Lega) placed under special administration for judicial matters and Barbara Barbieri, also under special administration, but after the split of her centre-left majority.

Robecchetto with Induno

In Robecchetto con Induno, in the Milan area, the choice of a new mayor comes after the premature fall of the council led by Giorgio Braga following the resignation, a year ago, of four majority councilors, including the deputy mayor, an assessor and a former assessor, and the other four from the center-right minority group Rilanciamo Robecchetto e Malvaglio. After what happened, the prefect Claudio Sgaraglia had appointed Sabrina Pane, deputy prefect, as commissioner "for the provisional management of the administration of Robecchetto con Induno".

There are two lists competing, both civic but one center-left and the other center-right. The candidates are Annalisa Baratta of the Civitas list, which has administered the town in recent years, and Valentina Cognetta of the Robecchetto e Malvaglio Insieme list: one center-left, the other center-right. Baratta, 50, is a lawyer with experience in the administrative field having already been councilor for Culture, Social Policies and Sport; Cognetta, 38, is a surveyor specialized in civil and industrial construction. A curiosity: neither of them lives in Robecchetto. Baratta lives in Castano Primo, Cognetta in Buscate.

PAVIA CALVIGNO

The new mayor is also being chosen in Calvignano, a town of 103 inhabitants (93 are entitled to vote) in the province of Pavia. In this town on the hills of Oltrepo between Casteggio and Montalto Pavese, the mayor Marco Casarini , who at the helm of the list “Calvignano futura“ had won the last elections with 90.91% of the votes, has died and now it is necessary to renew the municipal administration until now in the hands of the deputy mayor Andrea Doria who has decided not to run.

Instead, nine candidates wanted to do it, each of which must be supported by a list composed of a minimum of seven and a maximum of ten aspiring councilors, in addition to those running to win the tricolor sash. There are 94 aspiring councilors in total, practically one for each voter. Indeed, in truth, even a tenth list initially seemed to want to run, then, numbers in hand, it was realized that perhaps it would have been an exaggeration and they stopped at nine. Of the nine lists in the running, only one is composed of local people, while the others have perhaps fallen in love with the only two streets of the small 12th century village.

Only one list represents continuity with the old administration and it is the one led by Rossano Gramegna with the Civic List Calvignano Futura, a municipal employee now retired. And eight challengers. He had been an opposition councilor and last year he resigned to run for the Pavia administrative elections Luca Omodeo Zorini who is trying to conquer the municipality at the head of Ideal Lombardy. A real estate agent who lives in the Mirabello neighborhood of Pavia, Omodeo Zorini is 46 years old and, not having been elected to Palazzo Mezzabarba, he is running for Calvignano. He is leading the civic list Insieme Gianluca Pugliese and another civic list Voto libero Daniele Germano. The Movimento Italia più bella has expressed Giuseppe Bilotta as its candidate, while Movimento democrazia sociale is grouped around Raffaele Sarcina. Endo Giarin is leading the civic list “Uniti per cambiamento Calvignano and Federico Picerno of Progetto popolare. Roberto Di Bartolo from Pavia is a candidate for Calvignano civica - Alliance for the territory and federalism.

VARESE Arcisate

In Arcisate, in the Varese area, there are four candidates for the office of mayor, each supported by a list: Gianluca Cavalluzzi and the list 'Arcisate Oggi e Domani'; Antonino Centorrino is running with the civic list 'Uniti per Arcisate'; Maurizio Mozzanica and the list 'Centrodestra per Arcisate' and Giacomo Vinoni supported by the list 'Arcisate nel Cuore'. The centre-left is absent.

Castle

Castellanza is voting a year early after the premature death of mayor Mirella Cerini. The mayor died of illness exactly one year ago, after her speech on April 25, 2024. Since then, the Cerini administration has been governed by deputy mayor Cristina Borroni, who is running again as a candidate for the civic list 'Partecipiamo', which has the external support of Azione and Pd. Three rivals are challenging her, due to the disintegration of the outgoing opposition group of the United Center Right. Luciano Lista, born in 1971, is the candidate for mayor of Castellanza Protagonista, the center-right coalition supported by FI and FdI. Paolo Pagani , born in 1963, is the candidate for SìAmo Castellanza. Romeo Caputo, born in 1957, is running with the Castellanza nel cuore list.