2006 Italian Senate election, North and Central American division

Last updated

The 2006 Italian general election was the first in the country's history in which Italian and dual citizens living outside the country could vote by postal ballot in international electoral districts. [1] Twelve members of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and six members of the Italian Senate were elected in this way.

Contents

Italian and dual citizens in North America and Central America (including the Caribbean) elected one member of the Italian Senate. The winning candidate was Renato Turano of Romano Prodi's election coalition, The Union.

The process

All electors could vote for a political list and also cast a first preference vote for a specific candidate. The party with the highest number of list votes won the Senate seat, and the winning party's candidate with the most first preference votes was declared elected.

The parties

Seven electoral lists contested the North and Central American Senate division. The same lists also fielded candidates for the Chamber of Deputies and North and Central America.

Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing Forza Italia party ran its own slate. Two other parties aligned with Berlusconi's government ran separate lists: the moderate conservative Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and Mirko Tremaglia's right-wing For Italy in the World, which was specifically focused on diaspora issues. (Another party in Berlusconi's coalition, the Lega Nord, also appeared on the ballot, although this seems to have been due to a technical error).

The main opposition group from the previous parliament, Romano Prodi's centre-left Union party, ran a united slate. One of the Union candidates noted that the state of the party lists favoured his group's chances of election. [2]

The centrist Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad also fielded a list, as did the far-right Tricolour Flame party.

Each of the party lists comprised two candidates, except for the Northern League and Tricolour Flame which fielded one apiece.

The candidates

The Union

Forza Italia

For Italy in the World

Union of Christian and Centre Democrats

Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad

Lega Nord

Tricolour Flame

The results

Romano Prodi's Union received the most votes. Renato Turano received the most first preference votes from this list and was declared elected.

PartyVotes%Senators
   The Union 32,03638.031
   Forza Italia 25,55630.33
   For Italy in the World with Tremaglia 11,60413.77
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 9,41211.17
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 3,1913.79
   Northern League 1,3891.65
   Tricolour Flame 1,0611.26
Total valid votes84,249100.00
The Union candidate preference votes
Renato Turano (elected)12,097
Rocco di Trolio7,675
Forza Italia candidate preference votes
Augusto Sorriso8,898
Liborio Zambito 5,387
For Italy in the World with Tremaglia candidate preference votes
Carlo Consiglio5,446
Vincenzo Centofanti2,531
Union of Christian and Centre Democrats candidate preference votes
Vittorio Coco 3,906
Bernardo Paradiso2,885
Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad candidate preference votes
Domenico Serafini detto Dom 1,471
Sonia Marcella Spadoni922
Northern League candidate preference votes
Salvatore Rappa807
Tricolour Flame candidate preference votes
Alfredo Viti415

Source: ARCHIVIO STORICO DELLE ELEZIONI - Consultazione dati: Senato 09/04/2006, Area ESTERO, Ripartizione AMERICA SETTENTRIONALE E CENTRALE, Ministerio dell'Interno, Government of Italy, accessed 27 July 2011. Voters were not required to give a preference vote for any candidate.

Detailed results by country

More than ninety-five per cent of votes cast in this election were from the United States of America or Canada. The American result was a virtual tie between Berlusconi's list and Prodi's list. In Canada, Prodi's list won a significant victory. Renato Turano credited the Canadian turnout as vital for his election. [17]

Antigua and Barbuda

PartyVotes%
   For Italy in the World 00.00
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 00.00
   Forza Italia 00.00
   The Union 00.00
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 00.00
   Lega Nord 00.00
Total valid votes00.00

Bahamas

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 2460.00
   The Union 1025.00
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 25.00
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 25.00
   For Italy in the World 12.50
   Lega Nord 12.50
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
Total valid votes400.05

Barbados

PartyVotes%
   For Italy in the World 00.00
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 00.00
   Forza Italia 00.00
   The Union 00.00
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 00.00
   Lega Nord 00.00
Total valid votes00.00

Belize

PartyVotes%
   For Italy in the World 00.00
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 00.00
   Forza Italia 00.00
   The Union 00.00
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 00.00
   Lega Nord 00.00
Total valid votes00.00

Canada

PartyVotes%
   The Union 15,40944.36
   Forza Italia 8,50424.48
   For Italy in the World 4,78613.78
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 4,45412.82
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 8522.45
   Lega Nord 4951.42
   Tricolour Flame 2400.69
Total valid votes34,74041.23

Costa Rica

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 28838.50
   The Union 21128.21
   For Italy in the World 8110.83
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 678.96
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 445.88
   Tricolour Flame 425.61
   Lega Nord 152.01
Total valid votes7480.89

Dominican Republic

PartyVotes%
   The Union 4745.63
   Forza Italia 2423.30
   For Italy in the World 1413.59
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 1211.65
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 43.88
   Tricolour Flame 10.97
   Lega Nord 10.97
Total valid votes1030.12

El Salvador

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 13846.00
   The Union 8528.33
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 289.33
   Tricolour Flame 227.33
   For Italy in the World 144.67
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 103.33
   Lega Nord 31.00
Total valid votes3000.36

Grenada

PartyVotes%
   For Italy in the World 00.00
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 00.00
   Forza Italia 00.00
   The Union 00.00
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 00.00
   Lega Nord 00.00
Total valid votes00.00

Guatemala

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 32247.35
   The Union 16123.68
   For Italy in the World 598.68
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 598.68
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 405.88
   Lega Nord 223.24
   Tricolour Flame 172.50
Total valid votes6800.81

Haiti

PartyVotes%
   The Union 1152.38
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 733.33
   Forza Italia 29.52
   For Italy in the World 14.76
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 00.00
   Tricolour Flame 00.00
   Lega Nord 00.00
Total valid votes210.02

Honduras

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 5349.07
   The Union 2422.22
   For Italy in the World 98.33
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 87.41
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 76.48
   Tricolour Flame 43.70
   Lega Nord 32.78
Total valid votes1080.13

Mexico

PartyVotes%
   The Union 67137.80
   Forza Italia 50228.28
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 18010.14
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 1729.69
   For Italy in the World 1558.73
   Tricolour Flame 502.82
   Lega Nord 452.54
Total valid votes1,7752.11

Nicaragua

PartyVotes%
   The Union 7846.43
   Forza Italia 5230.95
   For Italy in the World 1810.71
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 137.74
   Tricolour Flame 42.38
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 21.19
   Lega Nord 10.60
Total valid votes1680.20

Panama

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 8844.22
   The Union 6231.16
   For Italy in the World 3316.58
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 63.02
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 42.01
   Tricolour Flame 31.51
   Lega Nord 31.51
Total valid votes1990.24

United States of America

PartyVotes%
   Forza Italia 15,55934.30
   The Union 15,26733.65
   For Italy in the World 6,43314.18
   Union of Christian and Centre Democrats 4,62810.20
   Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad 2,0024.41
   Lega Nord 8001.76
   Tricolour Flame 6781.49
Total valid votes45,36753.85

Source: ARCHIVIO STORICO DELLE ELEZIONI - Consultazione dati: Senato 09/04/2006, Area ESTERO, Ripartizione AMERICA SETTENTRIONALE E CENTRALE, Ministerio dell'Interno, Government of Italy, accessed 27 July 2011.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romano Prodi</span> Italian politician and economist (born 1939)

Romano Prodi is an Italian politician who served as President of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004 and twice as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1996 to 1998, and again 2006 to 2008. Prodi is considered the founder of the Italian centre-left and one of the most prominent and iconic figures of the Second Republic. He is often nicknamed Il Professore due to his academic career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union of the Centre (2002)</span> Italian political party

The Union of the Centre, whose complete name is "Union of Christian and Centre Democrats", is a Christian-democratic political party in Italy. Lorenzo Cesa is the party's current secretary; Pier Ferdinando Casini was for years the most recognisable figure and de facto leader of the party, before eventually distancing from it in 2016. The UdC is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and the Centrist Democrat International (CDI), of which Casini was president from 2004 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Italian general election</span> 15th election of the Italian Republic Parliament

The 2006 Italian general election was held on 9 and 10 April 2006. Romano Prodi, leader of the centre-left coalition The Union, narrowly defeated the incumbent Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, leader of the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms. Initial exit polls suggested a victory for Prodi, but the results narrowed as the count progressed. On 11 April 2006, Prodi declared victory; Berlusconi never conceded defeat and an ensuing dispute formed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pier Ferdinando Casini</span> Italian politician (born 1955)

Pier Ferdinando Casini is an Italian politician. He served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 2001 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franco Marini</span> Italian politician (1933–2021)

Franco Marini was an Italian politician and a prominent member of the centre-left Democratic Party. From 2006 to 2008, he was the president of the Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Italian general election</span> Snap election in Italy

A snap election was held in Italy on 13–14 April 2008. The election came after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved the Italian Parliament on 6 February 2008, following the defeat of the government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi in a January 2008 Senate vote of confidence and the unsuccessful tentative appointment of Franco Marini with the aim to change the current electoral law. Under Italian law, elections must be held within 70 days of the dissolution. The voting determined the leader of Italy's 62nd government since the end of World War II. The coalition led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from The People of Freedom party defeated that of former Mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ignazio La Russa</span> Italian politician (born 1947)

Ignazio Benito Maria La Russa is an Italian politician who is serving as president of the Senate of the Republic since 13 October 2022. He is the first politician with a neo-fascist background to hold the position of President of the Senate, the second highest-ranking office of the Italian Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elisabetta Casellati</span> Italian lawyer and politician (born 1946)

Maria Elisabetta Alberti, known by her married name as Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, is an Italian lawyer and politician, serving as Minister fo Institutional Reforms since 2022. She was President of the Italian Senate from 2018 to 2022. She was the first woman ever to have held this position. Casellati is a long-time member of the liberal-conservative party Forza Italia and served as Undersecretary of Health and Justice in previous governments. In 2022, she was nominated as candidate for President of Italy by the centre-right coalition.

Basilio Giordano is an Italian and Canadian politician and journalist. He was a city councillor in the Montreal, Quebec borough of Saint-Leonard from 1982 to 1990 and served in the Italian Senate from 2008 to 2013, representing Italian voters in North and Central America as a member of Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom party.

Robert Liborio Zambito is a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was a municipal councilor, most recently serving on Montreal city council representing Saint-Léonard-Est as a member of the Union Montreal party between 2009 and 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad</span> Italian political party

The Independent Alternative for Italians Abroad was a party list that contested the 2006 Italian general election in the overseas division of North America and Central America. It ran four candidates for the Chamber of Deputies and two candidates for the Italian Senate. The party did not win any seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renato Turano</span> Italian politician (1942–2021)

Renato Guerino Turano was an Italian and American politician and businessman. He served in the Italian Senate from 2006 to 2008 as a representative of Italian citizens in North America and Central America and was re-elected to the same position in the 2013 Italian general election.

The 2008 Italian general election was the second in which Italian and dual citizens living outside the country could vote by postal ballot in international electoral districts. Twelve members of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and six members of the Italian Senate were elected in this way.

The 2006 Italian general election was the first in the country's history in which Italian and dual citizens living outside the country could vote by postal ballot in international electoral districts. Twelve members of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and six members of the Italian Senate were elected in this way.

Vittorio Coco is an Italian and Canadian journalist and politician. He has worked at CHIN radio in Toronto since 1973 and was for many years the host of an Italian-language morning program. Coco ran for the Italian Senate in the 2006 and 2008 general elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirko Tremaglia</span> Italian politician and lawyer

Mirko Tremaglia was an Italian politician and lawyer. Famous for his youth as a fascist soldier, he was one of the most important exponents of the Italian far-right politics during the "First Republic" Italian period (1948-1994).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Italian presidential election</span> Election of the President of the Italian Republic

The 2013 Italian presidential election was held in Italy on 18–20 April 2013. The result was the re-election of Giorgio Napolitano, the first time a president had been elected for a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pietro Grasso</span> Italian anti-mafia magistrate and politician (born 1945)

Pietro Grasso, also known as Piero Grasso, is an Italian anti-mafia magistrate and politician who served as President of the Senate from 2013 to 2018.

The centre-left coalition is a political alliance of political parties in Italy active under several forms and names since 1995, when The Olive Tree was formed under the leadership of Romano Prodi. The centre-left coalition has ruled the country for more than fifteen years between 1996 and 2022; to do so, it had mostly to rely on a big tent that went from the more radical left-wing, which had more weight between 1996 and 2008, to the political centre, which had more weight during the 2010s, and its main parties were also part of grand coalitions and national unity governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legislature XVI of Italy</span> 16th legislature of the Italian Republic (2008–2013)

The Legislature XVI of Italy started on 29 April 2008 and ended on 14 March 2013. Its composition resulted from the snap election of 13–14 April 2008, called after President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved the houses on 6 February 2008. The dissolution of the Parliament was a consequence of the defeat of the incumbent government led by Romano Prodi during a vote of confidence in the Senate.

References

  1. "Chicago-Area Businessman Runs For Italian Senate," Italian Voice, 23 February 2006, p. 5; Mike Roberts, "Rocco's Roman empire," CanWest News, 28 February 2006, p. 1.
  2. Mike Roberts, "Rocco's Roman empire," CanWest News, 28 February 2006, p. 1.
  3. Mike Roberts, "Rocco's Roman empire," The Province, 26 February 2006, B3; "Newsmakers," Maclean's Magazine, 20 March 2006, p. 42.
  4. Petti Fong, "NDP's Davies to battle Liberal's Terranna in Vancouver East," Vancouver Sun, 14 March 1997, B6. Davies won by 454 votes to 428.
  5. "Their job? Boosting Italian-ness," The Province, 28 March 2004, A36.
  6. Christian Cotroneo, "Viva la politica Candidates vie for Italy's expat vote," Toronto Star, 25 February 2006, B05; Pam DeFiglio, "Candidates with suburban ties seek political office in two different countries," Chicago Daily Herald, 23 March 2006, p. 1; "Carlo Consiglio (Lista Tremaglia): al Senato per i diritti degli Italiani del Nordamerica", Italia Estera, 26 February 2006, accessed 2 August 2011; Letizia Tesi, "Fight against funding cuts to Italian language and culture: CGIE protest in Rome: drastic reductions that have very serious repercussions in Canada too", Corriere Canadese Weekend (Tandem), 28 November 2010, accessed 2 August 2011.
  7. Luigi De Biase, "Fair play among the candidates: Italian election debate showcases Italian-Canadians", Corriere Canadese Weekend (Tandem), 2 April 2006, accessed 2 August 2011.
  8. Candidato al Senato: Vincenzo Centofanti, i-Italy, accessed 2 August 2011.
  9. PRINCIPALI ASSOCIAZIONI ITALIANE, Consolato Generale d'Italia a Filadelfia, accessed 2 August 2011.
  10. Pam DeFiglio, "Foreign service Candidates with suburban ties seek political office in two different countries," Chicago Daily Herald, 23 March 2006, p. 1; Francesca Crozier-Fitzgerald, "Thanks to Lidia Bastianich Elementary Students in Harlem Learn Italian", i-Italy, 4 March 2011, accessed 3 August 2011. The former article misspells Paradiso's first name as "Berardo."
  11. Ann Farmer, "Kissing Bambinos Instead of Babies," The New York Times, 21 August 2005, p. 6; Rachel Rivera, "New York candidate seeks Italy Senate seat to represent Italians abroad," Associated Press Newswires, 8 January 2006, 11:33.
  12. Derek Rose, "A Yankee in Berlusconi's court?", New York Daily News, 15 January 2006, p. 27.
  13. Desmond O'Grady, "Italy votes - from Leichhardt to Lima," Sydney Morning Herald, 29 March 2006, p. 14.
  14. Candidato al Senato: Sonia Spadoni Alioto, i-Italy, accessed 3 August 2011; "La lista Indipendente AIIE chiude in bellezza con Sonia Alioto", Italia Estera, 12 February 2006, accessed 3 August 2011.
  15. Stefano Vaccara, "Lo sprint finale dei nostri candidati", i-Italy, accessed 3 August 2011.
  16. Pam DeFiglio, "Candidates with suburban ties seek political office in two different countries," Chicago Daily Herald, 23 March 2006, p. 1.
  17. Paul Basile, "Next Stop, Rome!", Italian Voice, 20 April 2006, p. 1.