Italy Populist Defeated in Key Vote, Lifting Conte Coalition
- Democrat-led bloc over 50% in Emilia-Romagna with high turnout
- League leader Salvini fails in bid to flip leftist stronghold
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Italy’s Matteo Salvini suffered a stinging loss in a key regional vote, providing a much-needed boost to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s fragile government and making a snap general election less likely.
Interior Ministry figures showed a center-left bloc led by the Democratic Party, or PD -- a partner in Conte’s ruling coalition -- at 51.3% in Emilia-Romagna, a long-time leftist stronghold. A center-right group headed by Salvini’s anti-migrant League trailed at 43.8%.