ROME – Alessandra Todde of the 5 Star Movement was elected as president of Sardinia, after the island held a regional election on Sunday.

 Todde won with 45.4 percent of the vote, representing a centre-left coalition of the 5 Star Movement, the Democratic Party and other smaller left leaning parties. She has become the first female president of Sardinia and the first to stand for the 5 Star Movement.

 The election was closely contested with former mayor of Cagliari, Paolo Truzzu, representing Fratelli D’Italia’s centre-right coalition receiving 45 percent of the vote. Various exit polls had predicted that Truzzu would win with 46 percent of the vote. He won in the centre-right strongholds of Olbia, Oristano and Alghero however failed to receive many votes in Cagliari.

 These two coalitions have received all the seats in the regional council, as the third-place coalition of Sardinian Coalition led by Renato Soru received nine percent of the vote. Sardinian law states that coalitions must receive ten percent of the vote to gain a seat on the regional council.

 Voter turnout fell, down by 0.6 percent from the 2019 elections to 52.4 percent of eligible Sardinians voting. However, this election was historic and was Meloni’s first major setback in regional elections.

 Todde’s victory signified Meloni’s right wing coalition’s first defeat in regional elections and the Sardinian election has been viewed by political experts as a precursor of results for upcoming elections, where the centre-left coalition may stand a chance to beat the Fratelli D’Italia.

 After her victory, Todde was joined by 5 Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte and Pd leader Elly Schlein, both of whom had rushed to Sardinia on Monday afternoon as the votes came in. Schlein said the result was “a victory for Sardinians” and that it signalled “a wind of change.”

 Todde said “I am very happy and proud" and that after 75 years she had "broken the glass ceiling." She labelled her victory as the start of a new chapter in Sardinia’s history.