Italy's League Surges While Five Star Struggles In Local Elections
Rukhshan Mir (@rukhshanmir) Published June 11, 2018 | 05:58 PM
A rightwing coalition led by the anti-immigrant League has won control of several large cities in local elections in Italy, while its new populist government coalition partner Five Star Movement struggled, early results suggested Monday.
Rome, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jun, 2018 ) :A rightwing coalition led by the anti-immigrant League has won control of several large cities in local elections in Italy, while its new populist government coalition partner Five Star Movement struggled, early results suggested Monday.
The municipal vote was the government's first test at the ballot box after the League and anti-establishment Five Star took office on June 1 following months of political turmoil.
A total of 6.7 million Italians were eligible to vote on Sunday in 760 cities across the country, as well as two of Rome's 15 boroughs.
Most of the major cities up for grabs were represented by the centre-left and backed by the former ruling party Democratic Party (PD).
Early results showed the League-led rightwing coalition wresting control of the largest city in play, Sicily's Catania, as well as Vicenza in the northeast, from the centre-left.
However the centre-left looked set to hold on to the northern city of Brescia and will head into run-off votes on June 24 against right wing candidates in the Tuscany's Pisa and Siena.
The PD's losses follow the party's crushing result in March's parliamentary election, where it garnered just 23 percent.
The right wing coalition won the most votes with 37 percent while Five Star became the country's biggest party with 33 percent and, after nearly three months of horse-trading, joined forces with the League to form government.
However early results showed Five Star suffered setbacks on Sunday, winning just 10 percent of the vote in Pisa, and almost 13 percent in Sicily's Messina.
Five Star also failed to win either of the seats in Rome, where the party's Virginia Raggi has been mayor since 2016.
Interior minister and League leader Matteo Salvini caused a stir on Monday after refusing to allow a migrant rescue boat with 629 people on board to dock at an Italian port.
ljm/ob/cac/dl/ach
Related Topics
Recent Stories
PITB HR Wing organizes Eid Milan celebration for children at PITB Day Care Cente ..
SONY x TECNO - is this for real?
PTI to stage nationwide protests against alleged electoral frauds
Senate continues discussion on Presidential address to Joint Sitting of Parliame ..
Masood Khan calls for Pak-US cooperation for regional peace
Interior Minister starts Margalla Trail Patrol for security
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 26 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 26 April 2024
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
More Stories From World
-
Barrett inspires Crusaders' return to form against Rebels
1 minute ago -
Philippine settlement submerged by dam reappears due to drought
1 minute ago -
Blinken says US campus protests part of 'democracy'
21 minutes ago -
Vietnam National Assembly head resigns amid graft purge
41 minutes ago -
Team from Gaza mediator Egypt heads to Israel: source
1 hour ago -
Xi tells Blinken US, China should be 'partners, not rivals'
1 hour ago
-
Ukraine agriculture minister freed on bail in corruption case
1 hour ago -
Vietnam National Assembly head resigns amid graft purge
1 hour ago -
Calls for mosque demolition weigh on India's Muslim voters
2 hours ago -
Chinese shares close higher Friday
2 hours ago -
China's EV execs bullish on Western pressure at Beijing car show
2 hours ago -
EU toughens rules on fashion retailer Shein
2 hours ago