The 2011 Italian local elections were held on 15–16 May, with a second round on 29–30 May. In Italy, direct elections were held in all 1,177 municipalities and 11 provinces: in each municipality were chosen mayor and members of the City Council, in each province were chosen president and members of the Provincial Council. Of the 1,177 municipalities, 30 were provincial capital municipalities and only 105 had a population higher than 15,000 inhabitants. In Sicily the elections were held on 29–30 May, with a second round on 12–13 June. Citizens living in Italy who were 18 or over on election day were entitled to vote in the local council elections. The deadline for voters to register to vote in the 15–16 May elections was midday on Saturday 15 April 2011.
Voting System
The voting system is used for all mayoral elections in Italy, in the city with a population higher than 15,000. Under this system voters express a direct choice for the mayor or an indirect choice voting for the party of the candidate's coalition. If no candidate receives at least 50% of votes, the top two candidates go to a second round after two weeks. This gives a result whereby the winning candidate may be able to claim majority support, although it is not guaranteed. The election of the City Council is based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote: the candidate with the majority of the preferences is elected. The number of the seats for each party is determined proportionally.
Municipal elections
Total voter turnout for the Municipal election on the first round was of 68.6%, on the second was of 60.1%.
Party results
Party votes in 29 provincial capital municipalities:
The election took place in two rounds: the first on May 15–16 and the second on May 29–30. The main candidates were the incumbent mayor Letizia Moratti, from Silvio Berlusconi's party People of Freedom, and the lawyer Giuliano Pisapia. Pisapia was chosen as the candidate for the center-left coalition on November 14, 2010 with the coalition primary elections. On the contrary Letizia Moratti was confirmed by her party as the official candidate. Letizia Moratti was supported by a big center-right coalition, composed by People of Freedom, Lega Nord and some 9 civic lists. Giuliano Pisapia was supported by Democratic Party, Left Ecology Freedom, Italy of Values, Communist Refoundation Party, Italian Radicals, Greens and some civic lists. Pisapia won the second round and became the first elected mayor of Milan from a left-wing party. The candidate of Beppe Grillo's party Five Star Movement, Mattia Calise, who was only 20 years old, obtained near the 3.5% of the votes.
Trieste
The election took place in two rounds: the first on May 15–16 and the second on May 29–30.
The election took place on May 15–16, 2011. The election took place before the end of the legislature because the incumbent mayor Flavio Delbono, who was investigated because of Cinziagate scandal, resigned. For 15 months, Bologna was governed by a special commissioner and became the first city of Italy to be governed by a commissioner for so long time. On May 16, Virginio Merola, from Democratic Party, won the election on the first round and defeating the candidate of Lega Nord Manes Bernardini. The turnout was only the 71%, a decrease compared to 2009 and 2004 elections. Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement received nearly the 10% of the votes.
Naples
The election took place in two rounds: the first on May 15–16 and the second on May 29–30. The main candidates were the entrepreneur Gianni Lettieri, from Silvio Berlusconi's party People of Freedom, the prefect Mario Morcone, from Democratic Party, and the magistrate Luigi de Magistris of Italy of Values. In March 2011, Morcone was chosen as the candidate center-left coalition with the coalition primary elections. However, Luigi de Magistris decided to run without the support of the center-left coalition; he was supported by his party, Communist Refoundation Party and some civic lists. On the first round Lettieri was ahead with the 37% of the votes, but on the second round Luigi de Magistris won the election with the 65% of the votes. In these election Democratic Party obtained the worst result since 1993, People of Freedom failed once again to conquer the city and Luigi de Magistris became the first elected mayor of Naples from a left-wing party.
Catanzaro
The election took place on May 15–16.
Cagliari
The election took place in two rounds: the first on May 15–16 and the second on May 29–30.
Provincial elections
Only 11 provinces were up for election. The elections was for a new provincial president and members of the Provincial Council. On the first round the total voter turnout was of 59.6%, on the second was of 45.2%. Below the results of each candidate and coalition on the first and second round.
