Italian towns Valenza and Trecate head to runoff for mayoral elections

The mayoral elections in Valenza and Trecate, Italy, are heading to a runoff vote, with citizens set to cast their ballots on Sunday, June 7, and Monday, June 8.

In Valenza, a town in the province of Alessandria, the contest for mayor will be between Luca Ballerini and Marilena Griva. Ballerini emerged from the first round with a lead, having garnered 34.67% of the votes, supported by three local lists: Valenza futura, Valenza bene comune, and Centro Riformista Valenza. Griva secured 30.18% of the vote, backed by four lists, including the Democratic Party, Lista Ermes Gatti, Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra, and Lista Germonio Orizzonte Valenza.

Meanwhile, Trecate, the second-largest town in the Novara province with nearly 20,500 inhabitants, is also preparing for a runoff. This election follows ten years of center-right administration led by Federico Binatti, who was ousted in June 2025. The runoff will pit Raffaele Sacco, the center-left candidate who won 47.01% in the first round, against Roberto Minera, the center-right candidate who achieved 44.2%. Neither candidate secured an endorsement from the third candidate, Rosa Criscuolo, who received 8.78% of the vote. The first round saw an overall turnout of 57.47%. Sacco, a 31-year-old lawyer and outgoing opposition councilor, is backed by six lists, including the Democratic Party and the Five Star Movement. Minera, a 62-year-old retiree, is supported by a coalition of center-right parties and a civic list.