# 2024 Sardinian regional election

The 2024 Sardinian regional election took place in Italy's Sardinia region on 25 February 2024. The election was for all 60 elected seats of the Regional Council of Sardinia, as well as the president of Sardinia, who automatically became a member of the Regional Council. The election was won by Alessandra Todde, who also became the first female president of Sardina. It was the first election of the 2024 Italian regional elections.
A member of the Five Star Movement, Todde led the centre-left coalition to a narrow win at 45.5% over the centre-right coalition and Brothers of Italy candidate Paolo Truzzu at 45.0%, with Renato Soru finishing a distant third at 8.7%. It was the first time since the 2015 Campania regional election that the centre-left coalition unseated a centre-right coalition regional president. Although Truzzu was not the incumbent president, having taken the place of Christian Solinas, the incumbent president since 2019 and member of the Sardinian Action Party, which is nationally allied with the League and affiliated to the centre-right coalition, it was still the centre-left coalition's first regional gain since 2015. It was the first election since the 2018 Lazio regional election where the winner of the presidential election did not win the plurality in the party vote due to split-ticket voting.

## Background

The election in Sardinia was called for 25 February 2024. In November 2023, the Democratic Party (PD) and the Five Star Movement (M5S) announced Alessandra Todde, former undersecretary at the Ministry for Economic Development during the second Conte government, as joint candidate for the centre-left coalition. Disappointment regarding the agreement between PD and M5S emerged among potential coalition partners, such Italia Viva and More Europe, who had always been sceptical about cooperation with M5S; dissent also came from within the party, with Renato Soru, former president of Sardinia, criticising the decision to not hold an internal primary to choose the candidate. These disagreements led Soru to formalize his candidacy as independent less than a week later, immediately obtaining the support of More Europe and Christian Popular Union, and later joined also by Action, the Communist Refoundation Party, a list of PD dissidents, and a coalition of independentist movements.
The centre-right coalition faced internal divisions, with the incumbent president Christian Solinas seeking re-election with the support of the Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az) and the League (Lega) but without the support of Brothers of Italy (FdI), whose regional coordinator had urging for a change of direction. During a meeting on 4 January 2024, a majority of the coalition members opted for Paolo Truzzu (FdI), the incumbent mayor of Cagliari, as candidate for the presidency, resulting in Solinas and the parties supporting his bid considering to break away from the coalition.
Coalition talks to reach a deal over a unitary candidacy went on unsuccessfully for a couple of weeks; the sudden news of Solinas being under investigation for corruption decreased significantly his chances of being a feasible candidate. The corruption charges, together with the other coalition partner's will to compromise with the League on other regional candidacies and on the introduction of a third mandate for regional governors, ultimately led the party to announcing its support to Truzzu's candidacy on 19 January 2014. Shortly after Lega's announcement, Solinas officially withdrew himself from the race, with PSd'Az choosing to endorse Truzzu.
The fourth candidate to join the race was Lucia Chessa, leader of the regionalist party Red Moors. Interest in running for the presidency was also expressed by Maria Rosaria Randaccio, with the support of the two Eurosceptic and anti-establishment movements Force of the People and Sardinia Free Zone; her bid was rejected by the electoral authority due to failing to gather the necessary signatures to take part in the election.

## Election system

The candidate who obtains a plurality of the votes is elected president of Sardinia. If the elected candidate obtains at least 25% of the votes, the majority of the seats on the board are guaranteed on the lists who support them. The Sardinian electoral law provides for a single round, with a list vote, the possibility of expressing a preference within the chosen list, and voting for the presidential candidate, on a single card. It is possible to vote for a list and for a candidate who is not connected to each other (Article 9). The candidate who has obtained the relative majority is elected president (Article 1, paragraph 4). To the lists connected to the president-elect, a majority prize may be awarded in the following measure: 60% of the seats if the president-elect obtained a percentage of preference above 40%; 55% of the seats if the elected president has obtained a percentage of preferences between 25% and 40%, while no majority prize is awarded if the president is elected with less than 25% (Article 13). The law provides for a 10% threshold for coalitions, and 5% for non-coalitized lists (Article 1, paragraph 7). No barriers are foreseen for the lists within the coalitions that have exceeded 10%.

## Parties and candidates

| Political party or alliance | Political party or alliance | Constituent lists | Constituent lists | Previous result | Previous result | Candidate | Candidate |
| Political party or alliance | Political party or alliance | Constituent lists | Constituent lists | Votes (%) | Seats | Candidate | Candidate |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Lega–Sardegna (Lega) | 11.4 | 8 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Sardinian Action Party (PSd'Az) | 9.9 | 8 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Forza Italia (FI) | 8.0 | 5 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Sardinian Reformers (RS) | 5.1 | 4 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Brothers of Italy (FdI) | 4.7 | 3 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Sardinia in the Centre 2020 (incl. IaC–NM, S20V) | 4.1 | 3 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Union of the Centre (UdC) | 3.8 | 3 | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Sardinia Alliance – PLI | — | — | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-right coalition | | Christian Democracy with Rotondi (DCR) | — | — | Paolo Truzzu |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Democratic Party (PD) | 13.5 | 8 | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Five Star Movement (M5S) (incl. AI! and GP) | 9.7 | 6 | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Progressives – The Base (P–LB) | 3.2 | 2 | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Fortza Paris (FP) | 1.6 | 1 | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Italian Socialist Party – SiE (PSI–SiE) | 1.2 | 0 | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Solidary Democracy (DemoS) (incl. S50) | — | — | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Future Left (SF) (incl. OS) | — | — | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Greens and Left Alliance (incl. EV, SI, Pos, SS) | — | — | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | Shared Horizon (OC) (incl. ScN) | — | — | Alessandra Todde |
| | Centre-left coalition | | United Civic List for Todde President | — | — | Alessandra Todde |
| | Sardinian Coalition | | Action – More Europe – LDE – UPC (incl. IV) | — | — | Renato Soru |
| | Sardinian Coalition | | Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) | — | — | Renato Soru |
| | Sardinian Coalition | | Vote Sardinia (incl. iRS, ProgReS, ScS) | — | — | Renato Soru |
| | Sardinian Coalition | | Sardinia Project (PS) | — | — | Renato Soru |
| | Sardinian Coalition | | Liberu | — | — | Renato Soru |
| | Sardigna R-Esiste (incl. Red Moors) | Sardigna R-Esiste (incl. Red Moors) | Sardigna R-Esiste (incl. Red Moors) | — | — | Lucia Chessa |

## Debates

2024 Sardinian election debates :
| Date | Organizers | Moderators | P Present N Not present | P Present N Not present | P Present N Not present | P Present N Not present | Sources |
| Date | Organizers | Moderators | Truzzu | Todde | Soru | Chessa | Sources |
| 1 February 2024 | Rai 3 | Maria Spigonardo | P | P | P | P | |
| 7 February 2024 | Diocese of Nuoro | Antonio Mura | P | P | P | P | |
| 9 February 2024 | Coldiretti | Battista Cualbu | P | P | P | N | |

## Opinion polls

| Date | Polling firm | Truzzu | Todde | Soru | Chessa | Lead |
| 31 Jan–1 Feb 2024 | Bidimedia | 46.0 | 41.9 | 11.9 | 0.6 | 4.1 |

### Political parties

| Date | Polling firm | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-right | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Centre-left | Sardinian coalition | Sardinian coalition | Sardinian coalition | Sardinian coalition | Sardinian coalition | SRE | Others | Lead |
| Date | Polling firm | FdI | Lega–Sardegna | PSd'Az | FI | RS | SaC 20V | UdC | SA–PLI | DcR | PD | M5S | UpAT | AVS+ | P–LB | SF | OC | PSI | FP | Demos | Action+ | PS | Liberu | VS | PRC | SRE | Others | Lead |
| 31 Jan–1 Feb 2024 | Bidimedia | 23.1 | 6.4 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 15.6 | 10.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.8 | — | 7.5 |
| Oct 2023 | Piepoli | 17.5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 17 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5.3 | 0.7 |

### Approval ratings

Christian Solinas :
| Date | Polling firm | Approve | Disapprove | Undecided |
| Lab2101 | 8–13 Dec 2023 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Lab2101 | Aug 2023 | 49.8 | 50.2 | 50.2 |
| Noto | Jul 2023 | 35 | 65 | 65 |
| SWG | May 2023 | 20 | 80 | 80 |
| Lab2101 | 10–23 Aug 2022 | 53.6 | 46.4 | 46.4 |
| Noto | Jul 2022 | 39.5 | 60.5 | 60.5 |
| SWG | May 2022 | 28 | 72 | 72 |
| Lab2101 | 25-29 Apr 2022 | 54.3 | 45.7 | 45.7 |
| Lab2101 | 19-22 Dec 2021 | 57.9 | 42.1 | 42.1 |
| Noto | Jul 2021 | 43 | 57 | 57 |
| Noto | Jul 2020 | 48 | 52 | 52 |

## Results

25 February 2024 Sardinia regional election results :
| Results by party Results by coalition ||||||||||
| Candidates | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Parties | Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Democratic Party | 95,285 | 13.8 | 11 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Five Star Movement | 53,613 | 7.8 | 7 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Greens and Left Alliance | 32,145 | 4.7 | 4 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | United for Alessandra Todde | 27,422 | 4.0 | 3 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Shared Horizon | 20,984 | 3.0 | 3 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Progressive Party | 20,868 | 3.0 | 3 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Future Left | 20,574 | 3.0 | 3 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Italian Socialist Party – SIE | 11,637 | 1.7 | 1 |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Fortza Paris | 6,068 | 0.9 | – |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | | Solidary Democracy | 4,692 | 0.7 | – |
| | Alessandra Todde | 334,160 | 45.4 | 1 | Total | Total | 293,288 | 42.5 | 36 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Brothers of Italy | 93,921 | 13.6 | 7 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Sardinian Reformers | 49,629 | 7.2 | 3 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Forza Italia | 43,892 | 6.4 | 3 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Sardinia in the Centre 2020 | 37,950 | 5.5 | 3 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Sardinian Action Party | 37,341 | 5.4 | 3 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Sardinia Alliance – PLI | 28,203 | 4.1 | 2 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Lega–Sardegna | 25,957 | 3.8 | 1 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Union of the Centre | 19,237 | 2.8 | 1 |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | | Christian Democracy with Rotondi | 2,110 | 0.3 | – |
| | Paolo Truzzu | 331,099 | 45.0 | 1 | Total | Total | 333,873 | 48.4 | 23 |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | | Sardinia Project | 23,872 | 3.5 | – |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | | Vote Sardinia (incl. iRS, ProgReS, ScS) | 10,830 | 1.6 | – |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | | Action – More Europe – LDE – UPC | 10,577 | 1.5 | – |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | | Liberu | 4,993 | 0.7 | – |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | | Communist Refoundation Party | 4,534 | 0.7 | – |
| | Renato Soru | 63,666 | 8.7 | – | Total | Total | 54,569 | 7.9 | – |
| | Lucia Chessa | 7,261 | 1.0 | – | | Sardigna R-Esiste (incl. Red Moors) | 4,067 | 0.6 | – |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 21,412 | – | | | | | | |
| Total candidates | Total candidates | 736,186 | 100.00 | 2 | Total parties | Total parties | 690.401 | 100.00 | 58 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 1.447.753 | | | | | | | |
| Source: Autonomous Region of Sardinia – Results ||||||||||
Popular vote
PD
13.8%
FdI
13.6%
M5S
7.8%
RS
7.2%
FI
6.4%
SaC
5.5%
PSd'Az
5.4%
AVS
4.7%
AS–PLI
4.1%
UpT
4.0%
Lega
3.8%
PS
3.5%
OC
3.0%
PP
3.0%
SF
3.0%
UDC
2.8%
Others
8.7% :
President
Todde
45.4%
Truzzu
45.0%
Soru
8.6%
Chessa
1.0% :

### Voter turnout

| Region | Time | Time | Time |
| Region | 12:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
| Sardinia | 18.4% | 44.1% | 52.4% |
| Province | Time | Time | Time |
| Province | 12:00 | 19:00 | 22:00 |
| Cagliari | 19.4% | 43.8% | 52.5% |
| Nuoro | 19.5% | 47.9% | 56.4% |
| Oristano | 17% | 43.1% | 51.1% |
| Sassari | 17.9% | 45.5% | 53.8% |
| Medio Campidano | 16.4% | 39.9% | 48% |
| Carbonia Iglesias | 18% | 42.2% | 49.6% |
| Ogliastra | 17.5% | 43.6% | 53% |
| Olbia Tempio | 17.9% | 43.5% | 51.2% |
| Source: Intenzioni di voto ||||