Former Partner of Philosopher Gianni Vattimo Wins Council Seat with Three Votes

In the small Italian municipality of Chiesanuova, with just 230 inhabitants, Simone Caminada has secured a seat on the municipal council with a mere three votes. Caminada, the 43-year-old former partner and assistant of the late philosopher Gianni Vattimo, achieved this unusual electoral feat despite his list garnering only 2.9% of the preferences.

The election saw an attendance of 68.5%, with 158 out of 230 citizens casting their ballots. The majority of votes, 105, went to Davide Trettene's list, "Per Chiesanuova Ancora Insieme," representing a 97.1% share. Caminada's coalition, "Solidali, Partito Gay Lgbt+ e liste civiche," received the remaining three votes.

This outcome is possible due to a specific electoral law applied in Italian municipalities with fewer than 3,000 inhabitants. This system uses a "dry majority" (sistema maggioritario secco) without electoral thresholds. In such small communities, if the winning list secures two-thirds of the council seats (seven out of ten), the remaining three seats are allocated to the losing lists. This particular dynamic allowed Caminada to gain representation despite a minimal vote count.

Caminada stated his candidacy was a way to honor Vattimo, the proponent of "weak thought," who had advocated for the region and opposed the Tav high-speed rail project during his time in the European Parliament. Caminada also aims to assist the elderly in the town. Although less known locally than in Turin, his election grants him a voice in the municipal council, allowing him to participate in discussions on Mayor Trettene's proposals.