Elections

Administrative elections, 20 provincial capitals on the ballot: the centre-left bets on Venice, the centre-right on Reggio Calabria

900 municipalities are called upon to express their preferences for the first citizen elections between May and June

by Letizia Giostra

6 May 2026

Elezioni amministrative (Imagoeconomica)

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The countdown has begun for the next administrative elections, where 900 municipalities for a total of almost 6.7 million voters will go to the polls. Voting will take place on 24 and 25 May (with a possible runoff two weeks later), except for 149 municipalities in Sardinia, at the polls on 7 and 8 June, and two municipalities in Trentino-Alto Adige (voting on 17 May).

The spotlight is on the 20 provincial capitals: Venice, Salerno, Avellino, Mantua, Lecco, Messina, Enna, Agrigento, Reggio Calabria, Crotone, Trani, Andria, Chieti, Macerata, Fermo, Prato, Pistoia, Arezzo, Sanluri and Tempio Pausania. If we focus on the 18 provincial capitals at the first round of voting, the starting situation is this: 5 outgoing administrations are of the centre-right, 8 are of the centre-left and 5 are of civic lists.

Venice and Reggio Calabria

In Venice the centre-left has long since made official the candidature of Andrea Martella of the PD. The senator and current Veneto Dem coordinator will attempt to wrest the municipality from the centre-right, which has fielded 38-year-old councillor Simone Venturini for the post-Brugnaro era.

In Reggio Calabria, following the former first citizen Falcomatà's move to regional councillor, the centre-left opts for Domenico Battaglia of the PD, winner of the primaries on 15 March. For the opposition, the name of Forza Italia's regional coordinator and national leader for the south of the Azzurro party, Francesco Cannizzaro, a deputy in the Chamber of Deputies for the second consecutive legislature, has come up.

Salerno and Avellino

In Salerno there is the return of the former president of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca, who is running for a fifth term with seven lists. De Luca was first elected mayor back in 1993 and, at the end of his four-year term, was reconfirmed in 1997 for another five years. It was in 2006, a full 20 years ago, that he last ran - and won - as first citizen.

The Pd is absent, presenting no list, while the rest of the progressive camp, M5S and Avs, support the candidature of lawyer Franco Lanocita. The centre-right is fielding university lecturer Gherardo Maria Marenghi with four lists. Armando Zambrano is also running for the centrist area (Azione, Noi popolari riformisti-Udc, Salerno di Tutti).

In Avellino, the centre-left is united with Nello Pizza, while the centre-right is divided: on one side Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia in support of Laura Nargi, on the other the Lega and Udc with Gianluca Festa.

Crotone

In addition to Reggio Calabria, another provincial capital to go to the vote is Crotone, where outgoing mayor Vincenzo Voce is running again with a civic movement, this time backed by the united centre-right. The first citizen will have to challenge the opposition councillor Fabrizio Meo, who is leading a civic list. For the centre-left, there is instead the lawyer Giuseppe Trocino.

Arezzo, Pistoia and Prato

In Arezzo, the centre-right is counting on Marcello Comanducci, an entrepreneur and former councillor in the outgoing mayor Ghinelli's council. For the centre-left, Vincenzo Ceccarelli of the PD will line up, a well-known name as he has held the offices of president of the Province of Arezzo, regional councillor and councillor. For Fdi, Lega, and Forza Italia, Marcello Comanducci will run alone.

In Pistoia , the centre-right is betting on the return of former deputy mayor Annamaria Celesti, while the centre-left is presenting itself with Giovanni Capecchi of Avs.

Instead Prato rises again after the fall of the junta due to the resignation of mayor Ilaria Bugetti following a corruption investigation. Former Dem mayor Matteo Biffoni is aiming for a third term, while for the centre-right there is Gianluca Banchelli.

Fermo and Macerata

In Fermo, the outgoing councillor Alberto Maria Scarfini and Angelica Malvatani, supported by Pd, Avs, Italia Viva, M5S, Rifondazione and civic lists, will clash. In Macerata the mayoral candidate of the centre-left is Gianluca Tittarelli, supported by Pd, Avs, M5Stelle, Casa Riformista and civic lists. His challenge is to occupy the seat of the outgoing mayor, Sandro Parcaroli.

Chieti

In Chieti, the outgoing centre-left mayor, Diego Ferrara, is making way for Giovanni Legnini, former commissioner for reconstruction, former undersecretary and vice-president of the Csm, supported by the PD, M5S, Avs and civic groups. A well-known name on which Elly Schlein, who was recently in town for an election initiative, has also spent time. The centre-right takes different paths: Cristiano Sicari is supported by Fratelli d'Italia, Forza Italia, Noi Moderati, Chieti Progetto while Mario Colantonio by Lega, Azione Politica and Udc.

Mantova

In Mantova, the name of the Pentastellist candidate Mirko Gragnato pops up against the centre-left environmental councillor Andrea Murari. Fratelli d'Italia is on the runway with Raffaele Zancuoghi, while Emanuele Bellintani and Luca de Marchi are on the list with their civic lists.

Lecco

InLecco there are five candidates aiming to win the seat. The outgoing first citizen Mauro Gattinoni is trying again, supported by the centre-left. The centre-right's answer is Fratelli d'Italia councillor Filippo Boscagli. Mauro Fumagalli, Francesca Losi and Giovanni Colombo are running with civic lists.

Andria and Trani

In Andria the current Dem mayor Giovanna Bruno is standing again and challenging her is 65-year-old doctor Sabino Napolitano of Fratelli d'Italia. In Trani the mayor Amedeo Bottaro is bidding farewell to his voters and the centre-left is presenting in his place the Dem Marco Galiano, a former trade unionist and school director, supported by the PD, Movimento 5 Stelle, Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra, Per Trani, Italia Viva and Più Europa. The centre-right's answer is - as in Andria - a doctor, namely urologist Angelo Guarriello.

Messina, Enna and Agrigento

In Messina, the shortlist is made up of five candidates: the centre-right is counting on Marcello Scurria, while the centre-left is fielding Antonella Russo, barber Lillo Valvieri is presenting himself with a civic list, and Gaetano Sciacca and Federico Basile are joining them.

In Enna the challenge is between three candidates: Ezio De Rose presents himself with a list supported by the centre-right, the centre-left puts forward the name of Mirello Crisafulli and the only civic list is headed by Filippo Fiammetta.

In Agrigento the centre-right is divided with the candidate Dino Alonge supported by Fratelli d'Italia, Forza Italia, Mpa, and Udc and the alternative Luigi Gentile supported by Lega, Democrazia Cristiana, Noi Moderati, and Sud chiama Nord. For the centre-left is Michele Sodano, supported by the Democratic Party and Italia Viva. Running instead with a civic list is Giuseppe Di Rosa