The Italian Local Elections of 2003: A National Campaign (and Consequences), A Local Vote

This article presents an analysis of the dynamics of the Italian local elections 2003. It begins by shortly discussing the role of by-elections in Italy, the incentives provided by electoral system and the way parties and coalitions chose their candidates. It then presents the results, with particular focus on the reason of the unexpected success of the centre-left in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, the results, of the main parties in provincial elections and the centre-right defeat in municipal elections. The article concludes that this defeat was mainly due to an unwise strategy of attempting to give a national meaning to a local vote.