Meloni's Narrow Victory in Liguria: The Battle for Regional Power

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing coalition are poised to win the regional election in Liguria. This follows a graft scandal that removed the previous governor. The victory highlights Meloni's stronghold, while a loss will weaken Italy's opposition, organized around PD and the Five Star Movement.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing coalition appear set for a narrow victory in the Ligurian regional election, according to projections from public broadcaster RAI. This follows the resignation of the outgoing conservative governor due to a graft scandal. The regional election shows Marco Bucci, Genoa's mayor, leading with 48.4% of the vote against 47.6% for his center-left rival, Andrea Orlando.

While a victory would be another regional win for Meloni, who recently celebrated two years in office with strong national poll numbers, it would also signify a setback for Italy's opposition. The opposition had sought to consolidate a fractured alliance built around the center-left Democratic Party (PD) and the Five Star Movement.

The election was conducted over two days following the arrest of the former regional president Giovanni Toti on corruption charges. While Toti negotiated a plea bargain, it is not an admission of guilt under Italian law, subject to judicial approval. Despite the anticipated defeat, PD remains the most popular party in Liguria, with Meloni's Brothers of Italy securing a significant portion of the votes, as overall turnout decreased from previous years.

(With inputs from agencies.)