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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Exit polls place Berlusconi ahead | Exit polls place Berlusconi ahead |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Veteran centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi has a narrow lead in Italy's general election, exit polls suggest. | Veteran centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi has a narrow lead in Italy's general election, exit polls suggest. |
| Mr Berlusconi, 71, a billionaire, is bidding for a third term in office. His main rival is centre-left leader Walter Veltroni, formerly mayor of Rome. | Mr Berlusconi, 71, a billionaire, is bidding for a third term in office. His main rival is centre-left leader Walter Veltroni, formerly mayor of Rome. |
| Exit polls showed Mr Berlusconi's bloc marginally ahead for both the lower house and the Senate. | Exit polls showed Mr Berlusconi's bloc marginally ahead for both the lower house and the Senate. |
| The election was held three years ahead of schedule, following the collapse of Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition. | The election was held three years ahead of schedule, following the collapse of Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition. |
| With the economy a key election issue, both men had promised modest tax cuts and reductions in bureaucracy. | With the economy a key election issue, both men had promised modest tax cuts and reductions in bureaucracy. |
| Exit polls have proved unreliable in the past in Italy, correspondents caution. Official results may not be issued until Tuesday. | Exit polls have proved unreliable in the past in Italy, correspondents caution. Official results may not be issued until Tuesday. |
| Close call | Close call |
| An exit poll by Italy's Sky TV gave Mr Berlusconi's bloc a two percentage-point lead for the lower house, and a three-point lead for the Senate. | An exit poll by Italy's Sky TV gave Mr Berlusconi's bloc a two percentage-point lead for the lower house, and a three-point lead for the Senate. |
| EXIT POLL RESULTS CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES (630 SEATS): Centre-right bloc 42%; centre-left bloc 40% (Sky) Centre-right bloc 40%-44%; centre-left bloc 38%-42% (Rai) Centre-right bloc 45.5%; centre-left bloc 43% (Sky/Rai) SENATE (315 SEATS): Centre-right bloc 42.5%; centre-left bloc 39.5% (Sky)Centre-right bloc 40.5%-44.5%; centre-left bloc 37.5%-41.5% (Rai)Centre-right bloc 46%; centre-left bloc 42.5% (Sky/Rai) | |
| Two more exit polls also suggest Mr Berlusconi's bloc has a narrow lead. | Two more exit polls also suggest Mr Berlusconi's bloc has a narrow lead. |
| They suggest that Mr Berlusconi is ahead in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, while in the upper house, the Senate, it is still anybody's race, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome. | They suggest that Mr Berlusconi is ahead in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies, while in the upper house, the Senate, it is still anybody's race, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome. |
| Neither of the main contenders can hope for an overall majority without the help of their allies or other minor parties, he says. | Neither of the main contenders can hope for an overall majority without the help of their allies or other minor parties, he says. |
| The Northern League, part of Mr Berlusconi's "Freedom Coalition", is believed to have put up a surprisingly strong showing, getting between an estimated 6%-8% of the votes in both houses. | The Northern League, part of Mr Berlusconi's "Freedom Coalition", is believed to have put up a surprisingly strong showing, getting between an estimated 6%-8% of the votes in both houses. |
| Meanwhile, projections based on results of the real vote - though only early, partial results - also gave Mr Berlusconi's bloc a lead in the race for the Senate. | |
| Tricky coalition talks are expected in the coming days. The next government faces the task of reviving Italy's ailing economy. Zero growth is forecast for the coming year. | Tricky coalition talks are expected in the coming days. The next government faces the task of reviving Italy's ailing economy. Zero growth is forecast for the coming year. |
| Economic pinch | Economic pinch |
| Although Italy faces a massive public debt, both candidates promised tax cuts and handouts to voters. | Although Italy faces a massive public debt, both candidates promised tax cuts and handouts to voters. |
| Italy's economy has been suffering from low productivity and a strong euro, and analysts say young people, pensioners and low-income workers are feeling the pressure. | Italy's economy has been suffering from low productivity and a strong euro, and analysts say young people, pensioners and low-income workers are feeling the pressure. |
| Mr Veltroni had been closing the gap with his rival in opinion polls | Mr Veltroni had been closing the gap with his rival in opinion polls |
| Some 158 different parties contested the regional and national polls, including Mr Berlusconi's new conservative People of Freedom (PDL) and Mr Veltroni's recently formed Democratic Party (PD). | Some 158 different parties contested the regional and national polls, including Mr Berlusconi's new conservative People of Freedom (PDL) and Mr Veltroni's recently formed Democratic Party (PD). |
| At the start of the election campaign, opinion polls gave Mr Berlusconi's bloc a commanding lead, but it had narrowed as the election drew near. | |
| At 78%, the final turnout appears to have been lower than in the last election, two years ago. | At 78%, the final turnout appears to have been lower than in the last election, two years ago. |
| Mr Berlusconi has served two terms as prime minister, last resigning in May 2006. | Mr Berlusconi has served two terms as prime minister, last resigning in May 2006. |
| The billionaire, believed to be Italy's richest man, is the head of a business empire that spans media, advertising, insurance, food and construction and includes the successful football club AC Milan. | The billionaire, believed to be Italy's richest man, is the head of a business empire that spans media, advertising, insurance, food and construction and includes the successful football club AC Milan. |
| Mr Veltroni, 52, is a former communist who served for seven years as mayor of Rome, before taking over the leadership of the centre-left coalition led by Mr Prodi, after his government collapsed in January. | Mr Veltroni, 52, is a former communist who served for seven years as mayor of Rome, before taking over the leadership of the centre-left coalition led by Mr Prodi, after his government collapsed in January. |
| The new government will be Italy's 62nd since World War II. | The new government will be Italy's 62nd since World War II. |