Marche Governor Acquaroli Leads Ricci in First Exit Poll

Rome: Centre-right incumbent Marche Governor Francesco Acquaroli led centre-left rival Matteo Ricci by 48-52% to 46%-50% in the first exit poll Monday after elections in the mid-Adriatic region Sunday and Monday.

According to Ansa News Agency, pre-election polls had given Acquaroli, who became the region’s first centre-right governor four years ago, a bigger lead. Acquaroli, 51, from the Marche capital of Macerata, is a member of Premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party. Ricci, 51, is the former mayor of the Marche port city of Pesaro, his birthplace.

Acquaroli leads a coalition featuring the ruling national parties of FdI, the centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) party, the right-wing League party, and the small centre-right Noi Moderati (We Moderates) party. Ricci is at the head of a so-called ‘broad field’ coalition featuring the biggest opposition party, his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD), the left-wing populist 5-Star Movement (M5S), the Green-Left Alliance (AVS), and some centrist local tickets.

The vote is seen as a national test. It is one of seven regional elections testing the political waters in Italy at the moment and in the coming weeks and months. There was also a regional election in Val d’Aosta Sunday in which local autonomist parties held on to power. The other upcoming elections are in Calabria on October 5-6, Tuscany on October 12-13, and in Veneto, Campania, and Puglia on November 24-25.