Italy holds partial municipal elections, referendum

In Italy, voting for heads of city administrations and members of nearly 1,000 city councils takes place concurrently with a popular referendum on justice reform.

Polling stations opened on Sunday at 07:00 and will close at 23:00 local time, according to the website of the Italian Interior Ministry, which performs the functions of the election commission, TASS reports.

Municipal elections are open to nine million citizens. Mayors and city council members should be elected in four regional administrative centres: L'Aquila (region of Abruzzo), Genoa (region of Liguria), Catanzaro (region of Calabria), and Palermo (island of Sicily), as well as 26 provincial centres such as Verona, Gorizia, Lucca, Parma, and so on. If no candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote in a city with a population of more than 15,000 people, the second round will be held in two weeks.

It is reported that the results of these elections will not significantly affect the current domestic political situation, but will be an important indicator of the popularity of parties on the eve of parliamentary elections, which are due in less than a year, and will also be a test of the strength of alliances.

At the same time, a referendum is being held, which immediately raises five questions regarding the abolition of several provisions in the country's legal system. In many respects. they are technical and relate to the appointment of judges and legal procedures, including the reduction of the period of pre-trial detention.