Municipal elections underway, Schlein's challenge starts in Genoa. Focus also on Ravenna, Taranto and Matera

Green light for municipal elections: in Italy there are 117 cities that today from 7 to 23 and tomorrow until 15 are called to vote for the direct election of mayors and the renewal of municipal councils. There are also Genoa, Ravenna, Taranto and Matera. About 2 million voters are expected at the polls. Gualtieri meets Pope Leo today.

Schlein's challenge starts from Genoa

Among the most important municipalities called to vote in this administrative round is Genoa , where the exit of Marco Bucci, who became president of the Liguria Region, has opened the race for Palazzo Tursi . Competing are Silvia Salis , supported by a broad coalition that includes the Democratic Party, the 5 Star Movement, the Green-Side Alliance, Italia Viva, Azione, Riformisti and civic lists; Pietro Piciocchi supported by Fratelli d'Italia, Lega, Forza Italia, Noi Moderati, UDC, Nuovo PSI and two civic lists (including “Vince Genova”); Mattia Crucioli for Uniti per la Costituzione, supported by numerous smaller groups including Ancora Italia, Popolo Unito, Demos, Circolo Culturale Proletario, SiAmo and Contronarrazione; Antonella Marras for Sinistra Alternativa; Raffaella Gualco for Genova Unita; Francesco Toscano for Sovereign and Popular Democracy; and finally Cinzia Ronzitti for the Communist Workers' Party.

Engines are hot, then, in Genoa, where the challenge for the leadership of the city is becoming increasingly heated as the elections approach. “We think the time has come for Genoa to turn the page and look to the future,” commented the secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein on March 31 during a rally in Sestri Ponente . “ She is a splendid candidate, a competent person , who has a clear vision of what to do for the city,” Schlein continued on the candidate Silvia Salis, “an athlete who has made her way in a very competitive and male world like that of sport , who makes her intelligence available to a collective game with a very broad coalition. The things that Silvia Salis puts at the center are social policies, so little attention from the administration, quality work and also the quality of the company .”

Much attention, then, on the issue of "health" by Schlein, who lashes out against the right: "In Parliament the right has presented a bill on health services with which they are trying to unload on families and municipalities the fees of non-self-sufficient people who are hosted in the facilities and on the other, with an amendment, they have inserted the idea of ​​private insurance. I say it clearly from Genoa: we will not accept the dismantling of the Italian public health system".

However, the center-left is not immune to challenges, such as the clash between Carlo Calenda and the 5 Star Movement , after the leader of Azione expressed his desire for Conte's party to be eliminated. Divisions that do not disturb Salis, who comments: " I think that the coalition's unity is on my civic candidacy, with me as a representative. So clearly there will be differences, there are in Rome, we have always known, it is not that we should hide, but they also knew it when they agreed to converge on my candidacy. I think this is the will on Genoa, expressed very clearly by everyone. I myself chose based on the unity of the coalition, so we are moving forward on this formation".

The decisive challenges in the other cities voting

In the next few days, in view of the administrative elections, in Taranto the contestants will be Annagrazia Angolano for the 5 Star Movement; Piero Bitetti supported by the Democratic Party and Avs-Socialismo XXI-Possibile; and Luca Lazzaro supported by the center-right coalition with four lists: Fratelli d'Italia, Forza Italia, Partito Liberale and Noi Moderati.

Next up, in Matera , competing for the position of mayor are Antonio Nicoletti , supported by Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia, and Domenico Bennardi , running for the 5 Star Movement.

In Ravenna , after the passage of the mayor Michele De Pascale to the presidency of the Emilia-Romagna Region, the candidates are: Alessandro Barattoni , supported by PD, Movimento 5 Stelle and Alleanza Verdi-Sinistra; Nicola Grandi for Fratelli d'Italia and Forza Italia; Alvaro Ancisi for the League; and Giovanni Morgese for the Christian Democracy.

Finally, in Nuoro , where the first round of the administrative elections is scheduled for June 8 and 9 , the clashing parties on the field are Emiliano Fenu for the 5 Star Movement and the Green Alliance left and the Italian Socialist Party; Giuseppe Luigi Cucca supported by the lists Giuseppe Luigi Cucca mayor; Forza Nuoro al centro; SIamo Nuoro; Cambiamo Nuoro ora; Psd'Az and Riformiamo Nuoro; Lisetta Bidoni , who is running for the Progetto per Nuoro list; and Domenico Mele , supported by Democrazia sovrana popolare.

Finally, in conjunction with the dates of the possible runoff, Sunday 8 and Monday 9 June, the vote on the 5 referendum questions will also be held: all Italian citizens are invited to express their opinion on the abrogative questions regarding the issues of work and citizenship . On this occasion, it will be possible to vote on Sunday from 7 am to 11 pm and on Monday from 7 am to 3 pm.