The Italian regional elections of 2005 were held on 3âÂÂ4 April.
The elections were a major victory (11âÂÂ2) for the centre-left coalition The Union, led by Romano Prodi. The centre-right coalition, which had been in power at the national level since 2001, was defeated in all the regions it governed except for its strongholds, Lombardy and Veneto. As a result of the elections, the national government led by Silvio Berlusconi acknowledged defeat and entered a political crisis, which led to the fall of the Berlusconi II Cabinet and the formation of the Berlusconi III Cabinet, with some ministers being replaced.
Due to a series of bureaucratic issues involving the submission of the Social Alternative list in Basilicata, the election there was held two weeks later. In that region, the victory of the centre-left coalition brought the final tally to 12âÂÂ2.
The Union was the direct successor to The Olive Tree coalition, which had represented the centre-left in the 1996ÃÂ and 2001 general elections. However, The Union also included parties from the radical left, which had not been affiliated with The Olive Tree.