Backed by a conservative alliance, the rightist League party's candidate Massimiliano Fedriga is the new governor of Italy's northeastern Friuli-Venezia Giulia' region after winning 56.86 percent of votes on Sunday, with most ballots counted.
"Thanks to my people. Thanks to my land. Now down to work listening and building," the region's new governor Massimiliano Fedriga wrote Monday on his Facebook page.
Centre-left candidate Sergio Bolzonello admitted defeat after winning 28.29 percent of votes and said he had phoned Fedriga to congratulate him on his victory.
"I will be in opposition, feeling that the region has been left in very good shape (by the administration of outgoing centre-left governor Debora Serracchiani)," Bolzonello said.
The populist Five-Star Movement's candidate for governor, Alessandro Fraleoni Morgera, came third with 12.6 percent of votes.
The turnout during Sunday's regional election was 49.65 percent - slightly lower than in 2013 when 50.48 percent of electors voted.
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