Italy faces a prolonged period of political instability after voters delivered a hung parliament in Sunday’s election, spurning traditional parties and flocking to anti-establishment and far-right groups in record numbers.
With half the ballot counted, it looked almost certain that none of Italy’s three main factions would be able to rule alone and there was little prospect of a return to mainstream government, giving the European Union a new headache to handle.
Scenarios now include the creation of a more euro-sceptic coalition, which would likely challenge EU budget restrictions and be little interested in further European integration, or swift new elections to try to break the deadlock.
A rightist alliance including former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia (Go Italy!) emerged with the biggest bloc of votes, ahead of the anti-system 5-Star Movement, which saw its support soar to become Italy’s largest single party.
Who won the Italian Election 2018?
Results for yesterday’s vote have not yet been released – with only half the ballots believed to be counted so far.
But Italy’s national broadcaster showed its first exit polls as:
- M5S 29 per cent – 32 per cent
- Forza Italia 13 to 16 per cent
- Lega 13 to 16 per cent
- PD 20.5 to 23.5 per cent.
Polling stations closed at 11pm (10pm GMT) last night, after opening at 7am (6am GMT).
The vote is being held under a complex new electoral law that could mean the final result will not be clear until late on Monday.
Just five seats in the Upper House have been declared so far with Luigi Di Maio’s party winning four of those announced.
A posted on Luigi Di Maio’s Facebook page shows the party leader delighted as he cheers and celebrates with colleagues as the exit poll was announced.
Comedy Beppe Grillo, who founded the party in 2009, could also be seen in the clip with a massive grin as he took in the result.
While vote counting in Italy is a slow process, they have already begun to turn the predicted results into initial success
MORE TO FOLLOW AS RESULTS COME IN…