The last time Igor De Santis ran for mayor in Ingria, a tiny village surrounded by forests and mountains near Turin, he won an easy landslide victory. But he faces a tough challenge in his bid to conquer a fourth mandate after his mother joined a rival camp. Ingria, one of the smallest villages in Italy , is home to 46 inhabitants.
A further 26 people, registered to vote from abroad, make up the electorate. De Santis, 42, has led the administration since 2009 and had expected competition in the mayoral race from opposition councillor, 70-year-old Renato Poletto. The situation became more complicated when Stefano Venuti, a Milan resident who has a second home in Ingria, threw his hat into the ring.
“We weren’t expecting that,” said De Santis. US returns stolen Italian art worth $65m in vow to put loot back ‘where it belongs’ Read more And then the micro-race was fully upended by Poletto announcing that he had secured the support of De Santis’s mother, Milena Crosasso, and had put her forward for a councillor position in the ballot to elect a new council on 8-9 June, as part of a list comprising nine women and one man. In all 30 people – about two-thirds of the village’s inhabitants – are competing for positions.
“I did ask her to join me but after she saw that Poletto’s list was mostly women she decided to go with them,” said De Santis. “They are all volunteers who have worked really hard for the village.” Crosasso said that the rivalry would not im.
