Autumn elections

Regionals, Fdi warns: 'No flags or we take everything'. Zaia: "I will not leave the poisoned wells".

For now, the only challenge already made official is that of Marche: the outgoing Francesco Acquaroli will be challenged by Matteo Ricci

13 July 2025

Schlein: "I sondaggi li lasciamo agli altri, noi intanto vinciamo le elezioni"

3' min read

There are no dates and, with few exceptions, no candidates. But the autumn elections scheduled in five Regions (besides the Aosta Valley) are at the centre of the political debate and the approach of the appointment sends both sides into a tizzy. "Let's not play the flags game, otherwise we would have to take it all," warns centre-right allies Giovanni Donzelli.

"Let's not play the abacus or the game of Monopoly"

Fdi's head of organisation assures that the choices will be guided by the search for 'the best possible candidate' for Campania as for Tuscany or Veneto, the real object of contention in the majority. The rules of engagement must, however, apply to everyone, the reasoning that Donzelli makes, also among the speakers at the Ecr party, kermesse of the European Conservatives, the party that Giorgia Meloni left in the hands of the Polish Mateusz Morawiecki a few months ago. "Since we don't play the abacus or the game of Monopoly it's not that we have to necessarily do this I'll take this you'll take" also because, "if we were to do it, Fdi would have to take everything. Fi governs 5 regions, the League 4 us 3, the proportions are not like that,' the Melonian leader does the maths.

The challenges in the regions

For now, the only challenge that has already been made official is that of the Marche, where the outgoing Francesco Acquaroli will face Matteo Ricci, supported by a very large field (barring Action).

In Campania it is by now almost certain that the centre-right will field the deputy foreign minister Edmondo Cirielli, 'for us the best possible candidate', says Donzelli, not hiding the fact that in any case there is a 'careful observation' of what is happening in the opposing camp. The centre-left still has to find an understanding with Vincenzo De Luca but the most accredited name remains that of the M5S Roberto Fico.

In Apulia Antonio Decaro is expected to run, and to contest the region for the centre-right, the blue Mauro D'Attis would be the favourite.

In Tuscany - a region that the centre-right effectively gives up - Eugenio Giani should challenge Eugenio Giani (assuming the reservation on his name is withdrawn, as Avs is once again requesting) the current mayor of Pistoia of Fdi Alessandro Tomasi.

There is no certainty in the centre-right, however, for Veneto, except that Luca Zaia will not be able to run again, after yet another stop to a third term. "I will not leave poisoned wells," says the 'doge', who in recent days had recalled that a list with his name on it could still take 40-45%. The important thing, observes Friulian minister Luca Ciriani, is that Zaia 'will support the centre-right candidate, whoever it will be' and 'I am sure he will'. Many, including in the ranks of Fratelli d'Italia, are convinced that in the end the premier, for the good of the coalition and the government, will leave Veneto to the League. On the track would be one of Matteo Salvini's deputy secretaries, Alberto Stefani. But the last word is not yet said. Until 'the leaders' express themselves.

Giovanni Manildo, a lawyer, reformist exponent of the PD and former mayor of Treviso, will instead be the presidential candidate for the centre-left in Veneto. After a few weeks of whispers among the opposition forces, in recent weeks there had been a succession of endorsements from the individual political forces of the regional opposition, until on 9 July the coalition's 'wide field' made his nomination official.

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