2019 European Parliament election in Italy


The 2019 European Parliament election in Italy were held on 26 May 2019, electing members of the 9th Italian delegation to the European Parliament as part of the European elections held across the European Union.

Electoral system

The party-list proportional representation was the traditional electoral system of the Italian Republic from its establishment in 1946 to 1994, therefore it was also adopted to elect the Italian members of the European Parliament since 1979.
Two levels were introduced: a national level to divide the seats among parties and a constituency level to distribute them among candidates in open lists. Five constituencies were established, each including 2–5 regions and each electing a fixed number of MEPs. At national level, seats are divided between party lists using the largest remainder method with Hare quota. Seats are allocated to parties and then to their most voted candidates.
In the run-up to the 2009 European Parliament election, the Italian Parliament introduced a national threshold of 4%. An exception was granted for parties representing some linguistic minorities as such lists can be connected with one of the major parties, combining their votes, provided that those parties reach the 4% threshold and that candidates from minority parties obtain a sufficient number of votes, no less than 50,000 for the main candidate.

Background

In 2014, the governing Democratic Party of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi won the election with 40.8% of the vote and 31 seats, followed by the Five Star Movement with 21.2% and 17 seats and Forza Italia with 16.8% and 13 seats. As a result, the PD was the second largest national party in the European Parliament by number of seats after the German CDU/CSU and the largest among the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. The PD's score was also the best result for an Italian party in a nationwide election since the 1958 general election, when the Christian Democracy won 42.4% of the vote.
, during a rally in Rovigo
However, after less than three years from the 2014 electoral landslide, Renzi was forced to resign after the defeat in the constitutional referendum and his foreign affairs minister Paolo Gentiloni was appointed new head of government in December 2016. Moreover, the 2018 general election was characterized by a strong showing of populist parties. The centre-right coalition, led by Matteo Salvini's right-wing League, emerged with a plurality of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate while the anti-establishment M5S led by Luigi Di Maio became the party with the largest number of votes; and Renzi's centre-left came only third, with the worst electoral result of its history. However, no political group or party won an outright majority, resulting in a hung parliament. After three months of negotiation, a government was finally formed on 1 June by the M5S and the League, with the M5S-linked independent Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister and Di Maio and Salvini Deputy Prime Ministers.
speaks during a League's rally in Montecatini Terme
In March 2019, Nicola Zingaretti was elected secretary of the PD. In April, Zingaretti presented a special logo for the election, including a large reference to "We Are Europeans", a manifesto launched by Carlo Calenda; and the symbol of the Party of European Socialists. Additionally, the PD is trying to forge an alliance with the Article One and minor parties. March and April registered more developments on the centre-left side of the political spectrum. Under the new leadership of Benedetto Della Vedova, More Europe formed a joint list with Italy in Common, the Italian Socialist Party, the Italian Republican Party, the Italian section of the European Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Alliance for Italy and minor parties; Italian Left, the Communist Refoundation Party, minor parties and individual splinters from the disbanded Free and Equal formed The Left, a joint list inspired by the Party of the European Left ; and the Federation of the Greens, Possible and Green Italy formed Green Europe under the banner of the European Green Party. On the centre-right side, FI welcomed in its lists candidates of the Union of the Centre and several alike minor parties while Brothers of Italy formed a partnership with Direction Italy and minor groups.

Main parties and leaders

Outgoing MEPs

The table shows the detailed composition of the Italian seats at the European Parliament before 26 May 2019.

Summary of parties

This is a list of the main parties which participated in the election and were polled in most opinion surveys.

Top candidates

In the following table, the top candidates of each party/list in the five constituencies are listed.

Slogans

Opinion polling

Poll results are listed according to the date of publication of the survey. Detailed data are usually published in the official website of the Italian government. The publication of opinion polls during the last 15 days of the electoral campaign is forbidden by Italian law.
;Polls after April 2019
DatePolling firmSample sizePDM5SFILegaLSFdIEV+EuOthersLead
DatePolling firmSample sizeOthersLead
8–9 May1,00021.522.510.531.03.05.03.53.08.5
8–9 May80021.921.510.129.62.05.31.33.54.87.7
8–9 May2,00022.223.08.431.02.85.53.23.98.0
7–9 May1,50022.122.77.833.82.15.81.32.42.011.1
6–9 May1,00020.120.59.630.53.45.21.84.04.910.0
5–9 May6,00021.823.09.530.61.95.80.82.84.67.6
8 May50321.022.010.030.52.05.01.03.55.08.5
7–8 May80021.122.39.232.42.75.01.73.02.610.1
6–8 May1,50022.522.79.430.52.74.71.72.63.27.8
6–8 May1,00020.524.97.830.92.15.71.83.23.16.0
6–8 May1,45521.222.49.032.22.54.71.73.03.39.8
6–8 May1,00720.422.69.532.23.14.74.13.49.6
7 May1,64221.223.510.332.22.65.02.82.48.7
7 May21.021.09.032.02.05.51.03.55.011.0
5–7 May1,50022.023.08.531.02.85.63.04.18.0
4–6 May1,50921.022.010.531.03.55.03.53.59.0
30 Apr–6 May1,50022.222.79.130.72.84.61.82.73.48.0
24 Apr–6 May1,00021.623.111.727.31.04.64.26.54.3
2–3 May1,00021.422.29.532.13.25.32.34.09.9
2 May20.522.010.031.02.05.51.03.54.59.0
2 May80020.320.610.332.41.55.31.43.84.411.8
30 Apr22.020.08.532.02.56.01.53.04.510.0
25–30 Apr2,00021.823.59.231.12.05.70.82.83.17.6
28–29 Apr1,00021.421.511.232.22.84.93.12.910.7
24–29 Apr1,50022.521.88.831.63.15.01.52.92.89.1
27 Apr1,53621.922.910.132.22.55.13.02.39.3
23 Apr1,52522.623.110.231.32.85.43.01.68.2
23 Apr21.020.58.533.52.06.01.03.04.512.5
22–23 Apr1,50021.022.08.033.05.011.011.0
18–23 Apr1,50020.520.18.736.41.95.41.73.12.215.9
17–23 Apr1,50022.022.38.432.33.44.81.63.02.210.0
19–22 Apr1,00022.023.59.131.52.15.71.02.92.28.0
20 Apr18.722.38.736.92.14.61.33.02.414.6
16 Apr1,79421.822.69.532.12.94.92.93.39.5
16 Apr20.021.09.033.53.06.01.53.52.512.5
10–15 Apr1,50021.522.58.932.32.94.81.23.32.69.8

;Hypothetical polls until April 2019
DatePolling firmSample sizePDM5SFILegaLeUFdI+EuPaPEVLSOthersLead
DatePolling firmSample sizeOthersLead
16 Apr 201950320.522.510.531.01.55.53.01.52.01.58.5
16 Apr 201980019.520.810.633.01.75.53.81.21.32.612.2
11–12 Apr 20191,00022.122.39.933.21.05.12.01.73.710.9
8–11 Apr 20191,31021.521.510.132.34.83.31.62.82.110.8
2–10 Apr 20191,50021.722.69.832.05.63.01.42.31.69.4
9 Apr 20191,84521.522.310.131.44.82.96.29.1
9 Apr 201921.020.09.532.51.55.53.01.06.011.5
3–8 Apr 20191,50022.122.08.931.84.93.11.12.93.29.7
2–4 Apr 20191,00019.023.39.935.74.03.10.72.02.312.4
3 Apr 201950420.022.510.530.51.55.03.01.55.58.0
3 Apr 201980020.119.411.131.41.55.43.82.44.911.3
2 Apr 20191,72521.122.79.331.93.44.72.91.6w. LeUw. LeU2.49.2
2 Apr 201921.020.510.532.01.55.03.51.05.011.0
27 Mar–1 Apr 20191,50020.822.29.032.91.04.62.91.32.33.010.7
25 Mar–1 Apr 20194,00021.621.39.131.92.54.63.21.1w. LeU1.13.610.3
29–30 Mar 20191,00020.522.710.032.10.75.32.72.73.39.4
26 Mar 20191,86521.122.99.531.84.93.01.65.28.9
26 Mar 201921.021.011.032.02.04.53.51.04.011.0
20–25 Mar 20191,50021.021.38.733.42.34.72.92.21.0w. LeU2.512.1
21 Mar 201920.023.011.531.01.54.53.00.55.08.0
20–21 Mar 201980020.719.811.433.11.54.73.60.74.512.4
16–20 Mar 20191,24521.221.19.733.04.12.71.83.03.411.8
19 Mar 20191,78521.023.410.030.94.83.01.6Did not exist5.37.5
19 Mar 201921.021.011.032.51.54.53.51.0Did not exist4.011.5
13–18 Mar 20191,50021.121.08.633.92.44.43.02.01.1Did not exist2.512.8
12 Mar 20191,84519.923.89.830.64.93.11.6Did not exist6.36.8
12 Mar 201950019.024.511.031.52.54.03.5Did not exist4.07.0
12 Mar 201921.021.011.532.51.54.03.51.0Did not exist4.011.5
6–11 Mar 20191,50020.321.88.933.72.64.12.81.91.2Did not exist3.111.9
5 Mar 20191,80319.323.210.231.24.83.11.4Did not exist6.88.0
5 Mar 201920.021.011.033.01.54.03.51.0Did not exist5.012.0
27 Feb–4 Mar 20191,50019.822.18.833.42.44.43.02.01.1Did not exist3.111.3
26–28 Feb 20191,00018.521.28.635.92.44.04.0Did not exist5.414.7
21–28 Feb 20192,40020.521.38.231.54.54.12.8Did not exist7.110.2
22–27 Feb 20191,08418.622.09.033.21.44.23.43.41.7Did not exist3.111.2
26 Feb 20191,60318.223.810.731.25.03.01.6Did not exist6.57.4
25 Feb 201950518.525.011.031.51.54.53.5Did not exist4.56.5
25 Feb 201980018.621.811.034.61.94.73.7Did not exist3.712.8
20–25 Feb 20191,50018.522.68.733.23.04.33.12.31.0Did not exist4.310.6
19 Feb 20191,80217.924.810.330.75.23.01.6Did not exist6.55.9
19 Feb 201918.021.011.035.02.04.03.51.0Did not exist4.514.0
13–18 Feb 20191,50018.622.19.033.42.94.52.92.21.2Did not exist3.211.3
13–15 Feb 20191,00318.024.310.332.95.1Did not exist9.48.6
12 Feb 201918.024.69.531.44.93.02.0Did not exist6.66.8
12 Feb 201950018.027.510.031.02.05.03.5Did not exist3.53.5
12 Feb 201980018.323.510.834.51.85.03.5Did not exist2.611.0
12 Feb 201919.022.010.034.02.04.53.51.5Did not exist3.512.0
6–11 Feb 20191,50017.523.38.533.82.74.63.12.41.0Did not exist3.110.5
6–7 Feb 20191,00016.125.48.134.42.23.64.2Did not exist6.09.0
6 Feb 201919.024.09.033.02.04.53.01.5Did not exist3.59.0
2–6 Feb 20191,11318.224.08.432.53.83.53.7Did not exist5.98.5
5 Feb 20191,80318.725.19.730.14.53.02.0Did not exist6.95.0
30 Jan–4 Feb 20191,50016.824.08.333.82.94.33.12.51.0Did not exist3.39.8
29 Jan 20191,78618.225.89.230.34.53.01.9Did not exist7.14.5
29 Jan 201950318.028.09.531.02.55.04.0Did not exist1.53.0
29 Jan 201980016.124.210.033.71.45.13.1Did not exist6.39.5
28 Jan 20191,00019.126.69.630.95.0Did not exist8.84.3
23–28 Jan 20191,50017.224.98.132.62.64.52.92.41.2Did not exist3.67.7
22 Jan 20191,80117.926.58.930.14.72.62.1Did not exist7.23.6
16–21 Jan 20191,50017.925.78.631.52.84.43.02.3Did not exist3.85.8
15–17 Jan 20191,00017.325.47.135.83.43.5Did not exist7.510.4
15 Jan 20191,79418.526.68.830.64.42.11.8Did not exist7.24.0
9–14 Jan 20191,50017.325.28.232.23.14.23.22.5Did not exist4.17.0
7–10 Jan 20191,09618.024.28.332.34.23.83.6Did not exist5.68.1
8 Jan 20191,54019.126.18.331.04.12.02.0Did not exist7.44.9
3–7 Jan 20191,50017.326.38.332.22.83.82.92.2Did not exist4.25.9
17–21 Dec 20181,01816.824.87.333.71.43.84.24.0Did not exist4.08.9
18 Dec 20181,61118.027.98.531.44.12.11.9Did not exist6.13.5
12–17 Dec 20181,50016.826.58.033.02.34.02.82.4Did not exist4.26.5
11 Dec 20181,80317.726.48.432.14.02.22.0Did not exist7.25.7
5–10 Dec 20181,50017.526.28.732.02.33.73.02.4Did not exist4.25.8
3–6 Dec 20181,00017.526.910.131.82.82.7Did not exist8.24.9
4 Dec 20181,78418.525.78.232.14.02.22.1Did not exist7.06.4
1,50017.627.38.232.02.43.32.82.4Did not exist4.04.7
28 Nov 201818.025.09.534.02.04.02.52.0Did not exist6.09.0
27 Nov 20181,80318.525.98.332.04.02.12.0Did not exist7.26.1
25 Nov 201817.025.09.033.02.03.52.52.0Did not exist6.08.0
19–22 Nov 20181,08117.426.17.332.91.44.23.43.3Did not exist4.06.8
25 May 201440.821.216.86.23.711.319.6

Results

Detailed results

;By constituency


;By region


;By municipality