Premier Giorgia Meloni on Monday hailed the reconfirmation of centre-right candidate Marco Marsilio as Abruzzo governor after regional polls on Sunday, saying it is a source of great pride.
“Marco Marsilio is the first president in Abruzzo’s history to be reconfirmed for a second term,” said Meloni on social media after provisional results gave the centre-right candidate and incumbent governor 53.5% to the centre-left candidate Luciano D’Amico’s 46.5% with the votes from 100 polling stations out of 1,634 still to count.
“And it is a source of great pride for us that the citizens of Abruzzo have wanted to continue to put their trust in him and, with him, to put their trust in the centre-right, which is confirmed as the majority,” she added.
“It is a trust that, as always, we will not betray. We will continue to work to put Abruzzo and Italy back in the place they deserve. Thank you!” concluded the premier.
Voter turnout in the regional poll that was seen as another important test Meloni’s right-centre coalition after its narrow defeat in regional elections in Sardinia last month and ahead of European parliament elections in June stood at 52.2%, down from 53.11% in 2019.
According to data from the Eligendo portal, Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (FdI) took the biggest share of votes at 24%, followed by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) with 20%, centre-right Forza Italia with 13.2%, right-wing League and Abruzzo insieme both with 7.6% and centre-left Five Star Movement (M5S) with 7%.
“Forza Italia’s success in Abruzzo definitively confirms the centrality of a movement that is occupying the political space between Giorgia Meloni and the Democratic Party,” party secretary, Deputy Premier and foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Affaritaliani.it.
“Italy needs a serious, credible, reliable and responsible force that can bring peace of mind to its citizens,” he continued.
“Forza Italia’s excellent result is the real news of yesterday’s vote in Abruzzo. Now we are working to win in Basilicata and Piemonte and exceed 10% in the European elections,” he added.
Southern Basilicata is due to hold regional elections on April 21 and 22, while residents of northern Piemonte will vote for their new regional government on the same days as the European Parliament elections on June 8-9.
“A clear victory for the centre-right, with a good result for the League. Thanks Abruzzo, on we go with good governance for another five years!” said the League in a statement on Monday.