Italians are voting on Sunday in key regional elections which the far-right hopes will rattle the fragile coalition government and pave the way for Matteo Salvini to return to power. 

The center-north region of Emilia Romagna has been a stronghold of the Italian left for more than 70 years. 

But the last polls published before the pre-election media blackout showed the anti-immigrant League neck-and-neck with the center-left Democratic Party (PD) which governs Italy in coalition with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement. 

An estimated 3.5 million citizens can cast ballots to elect the region's president, between 07:00 local time (06:00 GMT)  and 23:00 (22:00 GMT).

Turnout in Emilia Romagna looks to be high. After five hours of voting, it was 23 percent, compared with 11 percent at the same stage last time the elections were held. 

The League (Lega Nord) hopes to repeat its historic win in October in Umbria, which had been a left-wing region for 50 years. The party's candidate in Emilia Romagna, Lucia Borgonzoni, 43, has been overshadowed by Salvini, who has been carrying out daily rallies and been posting on social media. 

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The Democratic Party candidate Stefano Bonaccini is the current president of the region and is looking for victory once again. Emilia Romagna is known for its low unemployment levels and is home to both Ferrari and Lamborghini. 

But some analysts say the traditional left has abandoned those it traditionally represented for big banking interests, with a feeling for many of its supporters that they have been left behind by globalization. 

However Bonaccini will hope to benefit from the youth-driven sardines movement, also known as Sardines against Salvini, which is a grassroots political movement that started in the region in November 2019. It has rapidly become a national symbol of protest against the far-right. 

The League triumphed in Emilia Romagna at the European Parliament elections in May, and became the leading party with nearly 34 percent of the votes, topping the PD's 31 percent. 

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has tried to dispel fears about a government crisis if Salvini is victorious, saying the election concerns the region and does not influence national politics. 

But some analysts say a League victory could increase tensions, with the Democratic Party likely to blame the Five Star Movement for refusing to join forces behind a single candidate, splitting the anti-Salvini vote. 

Some have also warned that the Five Star Movement, which is being divided by infighting and hemorrhaging members, could collapse. This is despite its leader, Luigi Di Maio, resigning on Wednesday in a bid to prevent a crisis. 

There are also similar regional elections taking place in the smaller southern region of Calabria, which could add to Salvini's argument if his party picks up vote share there too. 

Source(s): AFP