The results of the most recent regional elections in Puglia, Campania, and Veneto would seem, all things considered, to reflect what has been the predominantly territorial approval ratings of Italians for years, namely, those consistently linked to the subjective expression (i.e., the Person) of the candidates for regional presidency. Essentially, in the most recent election, what made the difference would appear to have been the direct and immediate effect of good governance and the relationship of trust between citizens and administrators representing the individual parties. This is, of course, without prejudice to the rising abstention rate, which requires further and more in-depth evaluation of the underlying reasons.
And it would be surprising if, beyond the votes cast, the various party leaders, and especially the leader of the leading party (if one wants to call it that) with a relative majority, namely Brothers of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and the leader of the majority opposition party (i.e. the Democratic Party), Elly Schlein, did not focus their attention precisely on the fluctuating internal and external balances expressed in electoral ups and downs.
To put it another way, the percentage gains or losses obtained could very likely translate into the same distribution of power within the two mega-coalitions, center-right and center-left. Put another way, while Puglia and Campania remained center-left, led respectively by the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement, Veneto confirmed its orientation toward the center-right, led by the League (widening the gap with the Brothers of Italy) thanks primarily to the candidacy of the outgoing governor, Luca Zaia, the League's top candidate in all the provinces. If we were to try to interpret the results, we should probably start with what is commonly referred to as the electoral offer.
It would seem that the vote in the latest regional elections ultimately reflects the overall fragmentation of the political spectrum. It would probably be fair to assume that the greater the degree of fragmentation of the political spectrum, the greater the potential voter's uncertainty when deciding which party to vote with. This trend is even confirmed by an increasingly intense indifference toward the vote itself, resulting in high abstention rates. Put another way, the very latest polls could signal the emergence of an alternative to the current governing majority, an alternative that is advancing slowly and likely without much fanfare, but which is proving capable of making a powerful impact at the regional level. And this fact should not be underestimated. The center-left, in particular, appears to be beginning to rediscover its former momentum. The so-called broad-based approach appears to be working, but it needs to find a way to translate into a stable and unified formula capable of effectively synthesising its diverse components. It probably doesn't seem wrong to argue that today's voters, unlike those of the First Republic, need a clear and unified political proposal that puts the Individual and their daily needs back at the center.
Giuseppina Di Salvatore – Lawyer, Nuoro
