Regional elections in Tuscany: polls in October

With Eugenio Giani's announcement of the voting date—October 12th and 13th—in Tuscany, the schedule for the autumn electoral marathon is being finalized. Seven regions and over 18 million Italians are voting. However, the dates for Veneto, Campania, and Puglia are still being determined, as they are grappling with internal political party and coalition disputes over who to nominate. These issues will be difficult to resolve in the short term and are pushing the polls toward the last possible dates: November 16th and 17th or November 23rd and 24th.

Marche and Valle d'Aosta were the first to decide (Sunday 28th and Monday 29th September), then it was Calabria, with a clear acceleration compared to the timing of an unexpected vote, to take the first slot in October (on the 5th and 6th) and then, today, Tuscany.

The greatest difficulties—surprisingly—have been encountered precisely in coalitions (e.g., the center-right in Veneto) or parties (the Democratic Party in Puglia) that take it for granted that they can easily win the entire prize. In Campania, too, but this time with a perfect bipartisan split, the date remains hanging on negotiations between the Democratic Party, De Luca, and Five Star Movement on one side, and the Brothers of Italy (Fdi) and Italy (Fi) on the other. Here, the center-left appears to have the upper hand with the choice of Roberto Fico, whose official announcement is still pending (given the unpredictability of the outgoing governor). The situation on the center-right is more complex: here, Edmondo Cirielli (Fdi) has placed his availability in the hands of the national leadership. This sidestep was seized upon by Forza Italia's regional coordinator, Fulvio Martusciello, to advance the proposal of lawyer Giosy Romano.

A similar fate—polls at the end of November—has befallen Veneto: here, the center-left has chosen its candidate in record time, Giovanni Manildo, a lawyer and former Democratic Party mayor of Treviso. Manildo will attempt to stem the overwhelming power Luca Zaia will bequeath to his successor. Yes, but which one? From the Northern League or from the Brothers of Italy? Among the names in the running are Alberto Stefani, Luca De Carlo, and MEP Elena Donazzan. But also former mayor of Verona Flavio Tosi, now also a member of the Italian Democratic Party (FI).

And November is also being discussed for Puglia, thanks to the internal conflict within the Democratic Party. The outgoing president, Michele Emiliano, is not well received by Antonio Decaro, a Democratic Party MEP, who reportedly also deemed the possible presence in the next parliamentary session of another former Puglia governor, Nichi Vendola, to be a burden. The center-right (its last elected was Raffaele Fitto in 2000) now somehow considers the region "almost lost" and is still hesitant—awaiting the center-left's moves—to nominate a candidate.

This complicated election cycle already has a unique characteristic: the list of MEPs involved, including candidates and possible candidates, is incredibly long. It ranges from the highly-anticipated Antonio Decaro and Matteo Ricci to Elena Donazzan, Flavio Tosi, Pasquale Tridico, and Mimmo Lucano.