2016 Bologna municipal election

5 and 19 June 2016

Candidate Virginio Merola Lucia Borgonzoni Party Democratic Party Northern League Alliance Centre-left Centre-right Popular vote 68,749 38,806 Percentage 39.46% 22.27% Popular vote (2nd) 83,907 69,660 Percentage (2nd) 54.64% 45.36%

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

Municipal elections were held in Bologna on 5 and 19 June 2016. The centre-left candidate Virginio Merola was elected mayor at the second round with 54.64% of votes.^[1]

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 candidates

This is a list of the parties (and their respective leaders) which will participate in the election.

Opinion polling

Results

Summary of the 2016 Bologna City Council election results

Candidates		1st round		2nd round		Leaders seats	Parties	Votes	%	Seats
		Votes	%	Votes	%
	Virginio Merola	68,772	39.48	83,907	54.64	–	Democratic Party	60,066	35.46	21
							Common City with Amelia	4,917	2.90	1
							Federation of the Greens (A)	2,574	1.52	–
							Bologna Alive	1,416	0.84	–
							Citizens for Bologna	1,325	0.78	–
							Bologna metropolitan hits the mark	487	0.29	–
	Lucia Borgonzoni	38,807	22.28	69,660	45.36	1	Northern League	17,376	10.26	3
							Forza Italia	10,614	6.27	2
							United We Win	4,176	2.47	–
							Brothers of Italy	4,073	2.40	–
							Let's take back Bologna	1,025	0.61	–
	Massimo Bugani	28,889	16.59	–	–	1	Five Star Movement	28,115	16.60	3
	Manes Bernardini	18,188	10.44	–	–	1	Together Bologna	16,844	9.94	1
	Federico Martelloni	12,188	7.00	–	–	1	Civic Coalition	12,017	7.09	1
	Matteo Badiali	2,645	1.52	–	–	–	Federation of the Greens	2,569	1.51	–
	Ermanno Lorenzoni	2,178	1.25	–	–	–	Workers' Communist Party	1,869	1.10	–
	Mirko De Carli	2,074	1.19	–	–	–	The People of Family	2,087	1.23	–
	Sergio Celloni	446	0.26	–	–	–	Justice Honor Freedom	428	0.25	–
Total		174,187	100.00	153,567	100.00	4		169,409	100.00	32
Source: Ministry of the Interior

Notes: if a defeated candidate for Mayor obtained over 3% of votes, the mayoral candidate is automatically elected communal councilor (Borgonzoni, Bugani, Bernardini and Martelloni); see Italian electoral law of 1993 for Comuni. The candidate elected Mayor is not a member of communal council, but Merola votes in the communal council (see Italian electoral law 1993).

References