Sardinia elects leftwing president, in blow to Giorgia Meloni

Alessandra Todde of the Five Star Movement, backed by the Democratic party, is the Italian island’s first female president

The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has suffered her first regional election setback since taking power after a leftwing candidate was elected president of Sardinia.

Alessandra Todde, a politician with the Five Star Movement (M5S) who was backed by the Democratic party (PD), has become the island’s first female president, narrowly beating Paolo Truzzu, the rightwing candidate chosen by Meloni.