Le elezioni regionali in Sicilia del 5 novembre 2017

Abstract

This article examines the outcome of the regional election held in Sicily on November 5, 2017. It was a success for the center-right, which returned to power after the problematic term of the incumbent center-left president Rosario Crocetta. The center-right winning candidate, Nello Musumeci, was backed by an ample coalition, which was more right-oriented than in the past. This has to be explained, on the one hand, with the low turnout - abstention reaching 53% - and, on the other hand, with the consolidation of the anti-establishment and protest movement Five Stars Movement (M5S) - which in 2017 increased its consensus by 12 percentage points to 2012 and remained the strongest party in the Sicily's assembly. The election results showed a polarization both in the government of the Region and in the opposition, and a strong personalization of the electoral competition. This latter element is a typical aspect of the elections in Sicily, whose evidence concerning this election's candidates is also discussed in this article.