2011 Bologna municipal election

Municipal elections were held in Bologna on 15 and 16 May 2011. The centre-left candidate Virginio Merola was elected mayor at the first round with 50.47% of votes.[1] The turnout was just 71%, a decrease compared to 2009 and 2004 elections.

2009 Bologna municipal election

15–16 May 2011

Candidate Virginio Merola Manes Bernardini Party Democratic Party League Popular vote 106,070 63,799 Percentage 50.47% 30.35%

Composition of the Bologna City Council

Mayor before election Flavio Delbono Democratic Party Elected Mayor Virginio Merola Democratic Party

Background

The election took place before the end of the legislature because the incumbent mayor Flavio Delbono, who was under investigation after the Cinziagate scandal. Delbono was forced to announce his resignation as mayor on 25 January 2010 following the revelation that he was being investigated for crimes such as embezzlement, fraud and aggravated abuse of office.[2] The investigation followed Delbono's former assistant's claim that he had spent public money on her— the pair had been having an affair.[2] Investigators subsequently questioned Delbono about the purchase of a property near St. Julian's, Malta.[3] Delbono denied all the allegations made against him and said that resigning as mayor was the right thing to do.[2][3] He has announced that he will return to lecturing and is working to clear his name.[3] His resignation was confirmed on 28 January following the approval of an emergency budget, the election to appoint Delbono's successor must take place by 28 March 2010.[4]

For 15 months, Bologna was governed under a special commissioner, Anna Maria Cancellieri, an exceptional event in post-war Italian politics.

Voting system

The voting system is used for all mayoral elections in Italy, in the city with a population higher than 15,000 inhabitants. Under this system voters express a direct choice for the mayor or an indirect choice voting for the party of the candidate's coalition. If no candidate receives 50% of votes, the top two candidates go to a second round after two weeks. This gives a result whereby the winning candidate may be able to claim majority support, although it is not guaranteed.

The election of the City Council is based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote: the candidate with the majority of the preferences is elected. The number of the seats for each party is determined proportionally.

Parties and leaders

Political force or alliance		Constituent lists		Leader
	Centre-left coalition		Democratic Party	Virginio Merola
			With Amelia for Bologna
			Italy of Values
			Federation of the Left
			Italian Socialist Party
	Centre-right coalition		The People of Freedom	Manes Bernardini
			Lega Nord Emilia
	Five Star Movement		Five Star Movement	Massimo Bugani
	Stefano Aldrovandi Mayor		Stefano Aldrovandi Mayor	Stefano Aldrovandi
	Bologna Capital		Bologna Capital	Daniele Corticelli
			The Populars of Italy Tomorrow
			Italian Republican Party
			Act Together Civically
	Workers' Communist Party		Workers' Communist Party	Michele Terra
	New Force		New Force	Elisabetta Avanzi
	The Right		The Right	Anna Montella
	Neptune List		Neptune List	Angelo Carcano

Results

Candidates & parties		Votes	%	Seats leaders	Seats lists
Virginio Merola		106,070	50.47	–	17
	Democratic Party	72,335	38.28	→	17
	With Amelia for Bologna	19,358	10.24	→	4
	Italy of Values	6,983	3.70	→	1
	Federation of the Left	2,766	1.46	→	–
	Italian Socialist Party	1,118	0.59	→	–
Manes Bernardini		63,799	30.35	1	9
	The People of Freedom	31,374	16.60	→	6
	Lega Nord Emilia	20,268	10.72	→	3
Massimo Bugani		19,969	9.50	1	2
	Five Star Movement	17,778	9.41	→	1
Stefano Aldrovandi		10,679	5.08	1	–
	Stefano Aldrovandi Mayor	8,961	4.74	→	–
Daniele Corticelli		6,442	3.06	–	–
	Bologna Capital	4,546	2.41	→	–
	The Populars of Italy Tomorrow	328	0.17	→	–
	Italian Republican Party	251	0.13	→	–
	Act Together Civically	201	0.11	→	–
Michele Terra		1,601	0.76	–	–
	Workers' Communist Party	1,125	0.60	→	–
Elisabetta Avanzi		654	0.28	–	–
	New Force	603	0.32	→	–
Anna Montella		580	0.28	–	–
	The Right	602	0.32	→	–
Angelo Carcano		391	0.19	–	–
	Neptune List	387	0.20	→	–
Total		210,185	100.00	3	33

Popular vote PD   38.28% PdL   16.60% LNE   10.72% SEL   10.24% M5S   9.41% SAS   4.74% IdV   3.70% BC   2.41% Others   3.90%

Mayor Merola   50.47% Bernardini   30.35% Bugani   9.50% Aldrovandi   5.08% Corticelli   3.06% Others   1.54%

References

1. http://www.repubblica.it/static/speciale/2011/elezioni/comunali/bologna.html
2. "The centre-left cannot hold: Italy's troubled left". The Economist. 394 (8667): 47. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
3. Karl Stagno-Navarra (31 January 2010). "Bologna mayor Delbono under investigation on Malta property". Malta Today. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
4. Michele Smargiassi (29 January 2010). "Delbono, dimissioni dopo il bilancio Bologna al voto il 28 marzo" (in Italian). la Repubblica. Retrieved 2 February 2010.