Incumbent PD mayors Davide Galimberti and Carlo Marino also won run-offs in Varese and Caserta respectively. And PD-backed centre-left candidates were victorious in Cosenza, Isernia, Latina and Savona.
The good results are yet another sign that Italian voters are placing their trust in the centre-left. Earlier this month PD won in Bologna, Ravenna and Rimini, and PD-backed candidates secured victories in Naples and Milan.
PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“On behalf of the PES I congratulate Roberto Gualtieri and Stefano Lo Russo on their election victories. These are impressive gains for Partito Democratico. They campaigned hard on the issues that matter and that is why they have secured the trust of citizens.
“I know Roberto Gualtieri well from our time together in the European Parliament. He has always been a strong partner in the European progressive family. He was a very effective chairperson of the ECON Committee, and later a highly valued colleague in the PES finance ministers network during our discussions on Europe’s recovery. I know he will serve Rome well.
“In Rome and elsewhere, we have seen the danger of far-right politics recently and citizens have firmly rejected it. Voters want better transport, high-quality public services, investment in the next generation and a sustainable future. This is what the centre-left offers.
“I commend Enrico Letta and the whole of Partito Democratico for their leadership in building strong alliances with other progressives in Italy. These strong results show the power of a united left. Together, we win.”
Strong results for the centre-left in Italy follow recent electoral successes for other PES member parties. The Labour Party in Norway, the Social Democratic Party in Germany and the Socialist Party in Portugal have all scored key election wins in a red surge across Europe in previous months.
