Premier's center left loses historic strongholds in runoffs

(ANSA) - Perugia, June 9 - The city of Perugia will be governed by the center right for the first time since World War II, according to the latest polls Monday after municipal runoff elections in select cities across the country revealed surprising losses for the center left that roared to victory weeks ago in European elections. In the central city of Perugia, 35-year-old Andrea Romizi of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party beat out Wladimiro Boccali of the Democratic Party (PD), headed by Premier Matteo Renzi, to sit as mayor. On May 25, the PD came away with more than 40% at European Parliament elections, seen as a mandate for Renzi's premiership which began not through a popular vote but a party coup that ousted his PD colleague Enrico Letta in February. At municipal elections over the weekend, the PD also lost the historic strongholds of Livorno, Padua, and Potenza.
    But it managed to flip seven other cities in its favor: Vercelli, Verbania, Cremona, Biella, Pescara, Foggia and Bergamo.
    Out of the 139 municipalities who went to the polls, roughly one third went to the center right and two thirds went to the center left. Turnout was just under 50%, over 20% less than the first round of voting last month.