Baku, May 15, AZERTAC

Over six million Italians are called to the polls in local elections across the country Sunday and Monday, ANSA reported.

Some 6.3 million Italian voters are called to the polls in the first electoral test after last September's general election which ended in a crushing victory for the centre right.

It will also be the first real test of public opinion ahead of next year's elections to the European Parliament.

Citizens will turn out in 790 towns and cities including 13 provincial capitals: Ancona, Brescia, Brindisi, Imperia, Latina, Massa, Pisa, Siena, Sondrio, Teramo, Terni, Treviso and Vicenza.

Italian dailies have identified five key battlegrounds: Brescia, Ancona, Vicenza, Pisa and Siena, the first two of which are currently ruled by the centre left and the last three governed by the centre right.

The possible second round of voting in towns with more than 15,000 inhabitants where the mayoral candidate has not obtained 50%+1 of the vote will take place on May 28-29.

Trentino and Val d'Aosta will vote on May 21 and Sicily and Sardinia on May 28-29, so their possible run-offs will be later.

Voting stations opened at seven o'clock Sunday and will stay open till eleven o'clock Sunday night, before reopening from seven to three Monday.

Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi is in an excellent mood, almost fully recovered from his lung infection and working hard in his Milan hospital room, Premier Giorgia Meloni said after a more than hour-long visit to the San Raffaele on Sunday.