Silvio Berlusconi enjoys an renaissance in Italy’s municipal elections
Rome — The second and final round of municipal elections in Italy on Sunday showed a resurgence in support for 80-year-old former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party and its centre-right allies. Berlusconi-backed candidates won runoffs in mayoral races job across the country including Genoa and Verona, while an independent candidate was ahead in Parma, marking a significant setback for Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni’s ruling Democratic, or PD party, which is led by his predecessor Matteo Renzi. "It was a solid performance by the centre-right bloc, which shows that Berlusconi is still a significant political force," said Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of Teneo Intelligence in London. The vote outcome "suggests that if the centre-right parties can unite under a single leader, they would be a force to be reckoned with at the general elections". More than 4-million eligible voters were asked to pick mayors in 111 towns and cities, including Berlusconi’s heartlands in t...
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