ROME, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Local and regional elections originally scheduled for next month have been postponed until at least September. This is the latest change in Italy's political and cultural landscape due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday's decision agreed to by the Council of Ministers represents the first time Italy has delayed local elections across the country since the end of World War II, media sources indicated.

Over the weekend, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the economy could gradually reopen starting from May 4, the day after the current national coronavirus lockdown is scheduled to end. But Conte noted that any economic activity would have to include safety measures such as proper social distancing policies which would be hard to maintain with in-person voting.

In a statement, Minister of Health Roberto Speranza also expressed concern over political parties campaigning in a country under lockdown.

The local and regional elections which had been scheduled to take place over a three-week period in May in more than 1,000 municipalities spread over seven Italian regions -- Apulia, Campania, Liguria, Le Marche, Tuscany, Valle d'Aosta, and Veneto -- will now take place in a three-month window between Sept. 15 and Dec. 15. Members of Regional Councils and municipal governments that had been scheduled to step down in July, will now remain in office until the votes can take place.

The change will not have a direct impact on Conte's coalition government, though local and regional elections have often served as a barometer of public support among the country's main political parties.