Politics of Umbria
# Politics of Umbria

The Politics of Umbria, one of the 20 regions of Italy, takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democracy, whereby the president of the region is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the Legislative Assembly of Umbria, while executive power is exercised by the Regional Cabinet led by the President, who is directly elected by the people. The current statute, which regulates the functioning of regional institutions, has been in force since 2005.

After World War II Umbria became a stronghold of the Italian Communist Party. The Communists and their successors (the Democratic Party of the Left, the Democrats of the Left and finally the Democratic Party) have governed the region since 1970. For these reasons, Umbria was long considered part of the so-called "Red belt". The centre-left's dominance ended with the 2019 regional election, in which Donatella Tesei of Lega Nord–Umbria was elected President of Umbria by a landslide.

## Legislative branch

The Legislative Assembly of Umbria (Assemblea Legislativa dell'Umbria) is composed of 30 members. 24 councillors are elected in provincial constituencies by proportional representation using the largest remainder method with a Droop quota and open lists, while 6 councillors (elected in bloc) come from a "regional list", including the President-elect. One seat is reserved for the candidate who comes second. If a coalition wins more than 50% of the total seats in the council with PR, only 3 candidates from the regional list will be chosen and the number of those elected in provincial constituencies will be 26. If the winning coalition receives less than 40% of votes special seats are added to the council to ensure a large majority for the President's coalition.

The council is elected for a five-year term, but, if the President suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, under the simul stabunt, simul cadent clause introduced in 1999 (literally they will stand together or they will fall together), also the council is dissolved and a snap election is called.

## Executive branch

The regional government (giunta regionale) is presided by the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term, and is composed of the president and the ministers or assessors (assessori), who are currently five, including a vice president.

### List of presidents

| President | President | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Coalition | Administration | Legislature |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Presidents elected by the Regional Council of Umbria (1970–1995) |||||||||
| 1 | Pietro Conti (1928–1988) | 8 June 1970 | 16 June 1975 | PCI | PCI • PSI • PSIUP | Conti I | I (1970) |
| 1 | Pietro Conti (1928–1988) | 16 June 1975 | 5 July 1976 | PCI | PCI • PSI | Conti II | II (1975) |
| 2 | Germano Marri (b. 1932) | 5 July 1976 | 9 June 1980 | PCI | PCI • PSI | Marri I | II (1975) |
| 2 | Germano Marri (b. 1932) | 9 June 1980 | 13 May 1985 | PCI | PCI • PSI | Marri II | III (1980) |
| 2 | Germano Marri (b. 1932) | 13 May 1985 | 11 May 1987 | PCI | PCI • PSI | Marri III | IV (1985) |
| 3 | Francesco Mandarini (b. 1942) | 11 May 1987 | 17 July 1990 | PCI PDS | PCI • PSI | Mandarini I | IV (1985) |
| 3 | Francesco Mandarini (b. 1942) | 17 July 1990 | 22 July 1992 | PCI PDS | PCI • PSI | Mandarini II | V (1990) |
| 4 | Francesco Ghirelli (b. 1948) | 22 July 1992 | 31 March 1993 | PDS | PDS • PSI | Ghirelli | V (1990) |
| 5 | Claudio Carnieri (b. 1944) | 31 March 1993 | 5 June 1995 | PDS | PDS • PSI | Carnieri | V (1990) |
| Directly-elected Presidents (since 1995) | | | | | | | V (1990) |
| 6 | Bruno Bracalente (b. 1949) | 5 June 1995 | 17 April 2000 | PDS DS | PDS • PRC • PPI | Bracalente | VI (1995) |
| 7 | Maria Rita Lorenzetti (b. 1953) | 17 April 2000 | 5 April 2005 | DS PD | DS • PRC • PPI | Lorenzetti I | VII (2000) |
| 7 | Maria Rita Lorenzetti (b. 1953) | 5 April 2005 | 30 March 2010 | DS PD | DS • DL • PRC • PdCI | Lorenzetti II | VIII (2005) |
| 8 | Catiuscia Marini (b. 1967) | 30 March 2010 | 10 June 2015 | PD | PD • IdV • FdS | Marini I | IX (2010) |
| 8 | Catiuscia Marini (b. 1967) | 10 June 2015 | 28 May 2019 | PD | PD • PSI • SEL | Marini II | X (2015) |
| 9 | Donatella Tesei (b. 1958) | 11 November 2019 | Incumbent | LN | LN • FdI • FI | Tesei | XI (2019) |

## Local government

### Provinces

Umbria is divided in two provinces, which have been a traditional heartland of the left, from the Italian Communist Party to the current Democratic Party.

| Province | Inhabitants | President | President | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Perugia | 671,821 | | Nando Mismetti | Democratic Party | 2014 |
| Terni | 234,665 | | Leopoldo Di Girolamo | Democratic Party | 2014 |

### Municipalities

Umbria is also divided in 92 comuni (municipalities), most of which were established in the Middle Ages. A large majority of them are controlled by the Democratic Party.

**Provincial capitals**

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Mayor | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Perugia | 168,169 | | Andrea Romizi | Forza Italia | 2019 |
| Terni | 113,324 | | Leonardo Latini | Lega Nord Umbria | 2018 |

**Other municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants**

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Foligno | 58,162 | Stefano Zuccarini | Independent (centre-right) | 2014 |
| Città di Castello | 40,567 | Luciano Bacchetta | Italian Socialist Party | 2016 |
| Spoleto | 39,574 | Umberto De Augustinis | Forza Italia | 2018 |
| Gubbio | 32,998 | Filippo Mario Stirati | Left Ecology Freedom | 2014 |
| Assisi | 28,143 | Stefania Proietti | Democratic Party | 2016 |
| Bastia Umbra | 21,874 | Stefano Ansideri | Forza Italia | 2014 |
| Corciano | 21,332 | Cristian Betti | Democratic Party | 2018 |
| Orvieto | 21,130 | Roberta Tardani | Independent (centre-right) | 2019 |

## Parties and elections

### Latest regional election

In the latest regional election, which took place on 27 October 2019, Donatella Tesei of Lega Nord (Lega Nord Umbria) was elected president by a landslide, ending 49 years of uninterrupted "reign" by the Italian Communist Party and its successors. The League was largely the largest party.

27 October 2019 Umbrian regional election results :

| Candidates | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Parties | Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | | League | 154,413 | 36.95 | 8 |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | | Brothers of Italy | 43,443 | 10.40 | 2 |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | | Forza Italia | 22,991 | 5.50 | 1 |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | | Tesei for Umbria | 16,424 | 3.93 | 1 |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | | Civic Umbria | 8,608 | 2.06 | – |
| | Donatella Tesei | 255,158 | 57.55 | 1 | Total | Total | 245,879 | 58.84 | 12 |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | | Democratic Party | 93,296 | 22.33 | 5 |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | | Five Star Movement | 30,953 | 7.41 | 1 |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | | Bianconi for President | 16,833 | 4.03 | 1 |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | | Green Civic Left | 6,727 | 1.61 | – |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | | Green Europe | 5,975 | 1.43 | – |
| | Vincenzo Bianconi | 166,179 | 37.48 | 1 | Total | Total | 153,784 | 36.80 | 7 |
| | Claudio Ricci | 11,718 | 2.64 | – | | Ricci for President | 5,261 | 1.26 | – |
| | Claudio Ricci | 11,718 | 2.64 | – | | Civic Italy | 2,175 | 0.52 | – |
| | Claudio Ricci | 11,718 | 2.64 | – | | Umbria Proposal | 1,475 | 0.35 | – |
| | Claudio Ricci | 11,718 | 2.64 | – | Total | Total | 8,911 | 2.13 | – |
| | Rossano Rubicondi | 4,484 | 1.01 | – | | Communist Party | 4,108 | 0.98 | – |
| | Emiliano Camuzzi | 3,846 | 0.87 | – | | Italian Communist Party | 2,098 | 0.50 | – |
| | Emiliano Camuzzi | 3,846 | 0.87 | – | | Power to the People | 1,345 | 0.32 | – |
| | Emiliano Camuzzi | 3,846 | 0.87 | – | Total | Total | 3,443 | 0.82 | – |
| | Martina Carletti | 910 | 0.21 | – | | Reconquer Italy | 808 | 0.19 | – |
| | Antonio Pappalardo | 587 | 0.13 | – | | Orange Vests | 524 | 0.13 | – |
| | Giuseppe Cirillo | 461 | 0.10 | – | | Party of Good Manners | 420 | 0.10 | – |
| Blank and invalid votes | Blank and invalid votes | 11,841 | 2.60 | – | | | - | - | - |
| Total candidates | Total candidates | 443,343 | 100.00 | 2 | Total parties | Total parties | 417,877 | 100.00 | 19 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 703,595 | 64.69 | – | | | - | - | - |
| Source: Ministry of the Interior – Results ||||||||||

Popular vote

Lega

36.95%

PD

22.33%

FdI

10.40%

M5S

7.41%

FI

5.50%

Bianconi List

4.03%

Tesei List

3.93%

UC

2.06%

SVC

1.61%

EV

1.43%

Ricci List

1.26%

Others

3.09% :

President

Tesei

57.55%

Bianconi

37.48%

Ricci

2.64%

Rubicondi

1.01%

Camuzzi

0.87%

Carletti

0.21%

Pappalardo

0.13%

Cirillo

0.10% :

### Voter turnout

| Region | Time | Time | Time |
| - | - | - | - |
| Region | 12:00 | 19:00 | 23:00 |
| Umbria | 19.55% | 52.78% | 64.69% |
| Province | Time | Time | Time |
| Province | 12:00 | 19:00 | 23:00 |
| Perugia | 19.68% | 53.08% | 65.02% |
| Terni | 19.19% | 51.95% | 63.74% |
| Source: Ministry of the Interior – Turnout ||||
