Gianni Alemanno (ex-Fascist, subsequently AN, now PdL) has won the run-off election for the mayoralty of Rome. It’s a pretty poor result for the left, and a poor personal result for Rutelli – he didn’t do as well as his party colleague Nicola Zingaretti, who was running for the President of the Province of Rome (yes, it can be confusing).

Intriguingly, support for Alemanno went up even though turnout went down. Rutelli supporters were initially buoyed by lower turnout, viewing Alemanno as incapable of recouping sufficient additional votes. In the end, it seems that support for Rutelli in the first round was a mile wide and an inch deep.

The loss has put pressure on PD leader Walter Veltroni. The following graphic [hat-tip to costanza] is perhaps a little bit hard to explain, but at least Romans haven’t lost their sense of humour:

With the primaries you made the Prodi government fall
In the general election you chased the communists out of Parliament
Putting forward Rutelli you lost Rome
Walter – Sainthood Now!