Regional Elections 2024 in Emilia-Romagna and Umbria: Victory of the Center-Left with De Pascale and Proietti.

The regional elections of November 17-18, 2024 mark a clear affirmation of the center-left: Michele De Pascale conquers Emilia-Romagna, while Stefania Proietti becomes the new governor of Umbria. The electoral challenges, characterized by a sharply declining turnout, confirm the centrality of broad coalitions and strong candidacies.

A turnout at an all-time low: a warning signal for democracy

The elections in Emilia-Romagna and Umbria recorded a worrying figure: an average turnout of 47,2%, among the lowest in the history of Italian regional elections. In Emilia-Romagna only 46,23% of those eligible to vote went to the polls, while in Umbria the percentage was slightly higher, reaching 52,13%.

The figure is significantly lower than in previous elections, where participation had been higher thanks to the vote being concentrated in a single day. Former Prime Minister Romano Prodi commented with concern: "It drops, it drops, and then it ends badly, and you can already see that many things end badly."

The proposal by Carlo Calenda, leader of Azione, to introduce a single *election day* for municipal and regional elections could be an answer to the problem. However, the phenomenon of abstentionism signals a growing disaffection towards politics that requires structural interventions and more incisive involvement strategies.

Emilia-Romagna: Michele De Pascale surpasses 56% and establishes himself as new governor

In Emilia-Romagna, Michele De Pascale, the centre-left candidate, triumphed with over 56% of the votes, distancing his main opponent Elena Ugolini, supported by the united centre-right, who stopped at 15% by over 41 points.

Who is Michele De Pascale?

Michele De Pascale, 39, is a prominent figure in local politics, with a long administrative experience. Born in Cesena in 1985, he started very young as a student representative and in 2004 he was elected city councilor in Cervia in the ranks of the Democrats of the Left. Subsequently, he served as councilor in Cervia and since 2016 he has been mayor of Ravenna, a position confirmed for two consecutive terms.

Since 2018, he has been president of the Union of Italian Provinces (UPI), a role that has allowed him to strengthen his political network at the national level. De Pascale was supported by a broad coalition composed of the Democratic Party, the 5 Star Movement, the Green-Sinister Alliance and civic lists such as *Civici con De Pascale Presidente* and *Emilia-Romagna Futura*.

The dynamics of the vote in Emilia-Romagna

Since the first exit polls released by the Opinio Rai consortium, De Pascale was clearly the favorite, with a gap of 53-57% compared to Ugolini's 39-43%. These data were confirmed by the projections and the count, which showed a clear gap, consolidated around 15 percentage points.

The other candidates only collected crumbs: Federico Serra, supported by Potere al Popolo, Rifondazione Comunista and PCI, stopped at 1,8%, while Luca Teodori, candidate of the Lealtà, Coerenza, Verità list, obtained 1,2%.

The future of Emilia-Romagna

De Pascale succeeds Stefano Bonaccini, who resigned for the new role of MEP. During the election night, the new governor celebrated in his electoral committee accompanied by Elly Schlein, secretary of the PD, underlining the importance of a broad and inclusive coalition: "It is a victory that speaks of an open, sustainable and supportive region".

Umbria: Stefania Proietti, a new guide for the Region

In Umbria, Stefania Proietti, mayor of Assisi, won with 51% of the votes, beating outgoing governor Donatella Tesei, who stopped at 46%. In this case too, the center-left won with a broad coalition, overturning the leadership of the center-right.

Who is Stefania Proietti?

Stefania Proietti, born in Assisi in 1975, has a solid academic background: she graduated in mechanical engineering, obtained a doctorate in industrial engineering and a master's degree in energy systems management. Researcher and university professor, she has collaborated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and participated in numerous international conferences on climate change.

Her political career began in 2016, when she was elected mayor of Assisi, a role she maintained even after her re-election in 2021. Proietti is known for her commitment to environmental and social issues and led a coalition that included PD, M5S, Alleanza Verdi-Sinistra, civic and reformist lists such as *Umbria Futura* and *Civici Umbri*.

The dynamics of the vote in Umbria

The challenge in Umbria was more intense than in Emilia-Romagna. The first exit polls indicated a neck-and-neck race between Proietti and Tesei, but during the count the center-left candidate's advantage consolidated, reaching a gap of about 5 percentage points.

The other candidates obtained marginal results: Marco Rizzo (Democrazia Sovrana Popolare) stopped at 1%, while the other candidates did not exceed 0,6%.

The future of Umbria

Stefania Proietti's victory marks a turning point for Umbria, which returns to the center-left after the mandate of the Lega Nord's Donatella Tesei. During her victory speech, Proietti declared: "I dedicate this victory to the citizens of Umbria who believe in a greener, fairer and more supportive future."

Lessons from the 2024 regional elections

The elections in Emilia-Romagna and Umbria confirm the value of broad coalitions for the center-left and the strength of deep-rooted and credible candidates. However, the turnout data is a warning: abstentionism remains one of the main challenges for Italian politics, indicating a growing disconnection between citizens and institutions.

The proposal of a single *election day* could be an answer, but a stronger commitment from political forces to involve voters, especially young people, and reaffirm the importance of voting as a tool for democratic participation will also be essential.