The team with the task of guaranteeing the privacy of Italians has published a code of rules to cover the regional elections due to take place on 3 and 4 April.

Candidates and political parties may send campaign literature via the postal service taking names and addresses from publicly available sources such as telephone directories, professional registers and lists from the chamber of commerce. They may not use information from lists in polling stations, belonging to charitable organisations or sporting associations. City and parish councils may not divulge information from their registers for election purposes.

Electioneering on the telephone is allowed but callers must declare clearly at the beginning of the conversation who they are and why they are calling.

Electioneering is not allowed via Sms, MMs, fax or email without the express permission of the telephone contract holder.