On paper, these are "simple" second-level provincial elections. That is, the mayors and city councilors of the province will decide the new president of the body in Piazza Italia in Nuoro at the end of September. However, anticipation is growing in the Barbagia capital. Coalitions are solidifying, and factions are beginning to plot. The example of "united" Gallura, with the bipartisan candidacy of Olbia's mayor, Settimo Nizzi, appears to be the way forward, at least for the mayor of Bitti, Giuseppe Ciccolini, of the Democratic Party. "My candidacy has been on the table for some time," explains the current provincial administrator. "I would like it to unite the region." Forza Italia MP Pietro Pittalis seems to have a different opinion: "We're calling on the mayors. Riccardo Uda, the mayor of Macomer, might be the right candidate."

Alliances

The island's provinces are getting back on track, aiming to forge a new course. And the heart of the island has no intention of being caught unprepared. Ciccolini emphasizes his philosophy, which underpins a candidacy that emphasizes cohesion rather than party symbols and traditional alignments. "This time, the protagonists are not the parties, but the territories," the mayor of Bitti begins. "Based on this philosophy, together with other mayors, I am spearheading the creation of a list. My hope is that we can create a unified list, capable of representing all the territories." He clarifies his intentions: "In this case, the parties should take a step back. Therefore, the goal is to build a list from the bottom up, not from the top down." Does the Gallura example seem like the right path? "Exactly. I don't make it a question of parties, but of territories. Each territory, in its autonomy, must be able to express its best candidacy outside the confines of the parties."

Center-right

Ciccolini calls for unity, putting his hands up. Pietro Pittalis, Forza Italia MP and the driving force of the center-right, clarifies: "We're working on finding a candidate who everyone can agree on. We need someone who can work together." He concludes: "One possibility could be the candidacy of Riccardo Uda, the mayor of Macomer. A decision could be made by mid-next week. At the moment, the center-left appears entrenched; we haven't had any openness to a unified candidacy."