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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Berlusconi makes election gains | Berlusconi makes election gains |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The coalition of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has made strong gains from the centre-left in regional polls. | The coalition of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has made strong gains from the centre-left in regional polls. |
| Mr Berlusconi's alliance won six of the 13 regions where voting took place, final results show. It previously controlled only two. | Mr Berlusconi's alliance won six of the 13 regions where voting took place, final results show. It previously controlled only two. |
| The gains came despite a series of recent personal and political scandals involving the prime minister. | The gains came despite a series of recent personal and political scandals involving the prime minister. |
| The Northern League, a federalist party that opposes immigration, took two regions for the first time. | The Northern League, a federalist party that opposes immigration, took two regions for the first time. |
| Officials said turnout had been low by Italy's standards - about 64%, eight percentage points down on the previous regional elections. | Officials said turnout had been low by Italy's standards - about 64%, eight percentage points down on the previous regional elections. |
| Electorate 'disaffected' | Electorate 'disaffected' |
| Among the victories for Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) party and its allies were two extremely close contests in Rome's Lazio region and in northern Piedmont. | Among the victories for Mr Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) party and its allies were two extremely close contests in Rome's Lazio region and in northern Piedmont. |
| REGIONAL POLL RESULTS PDL wins: Lazio, Calabria, Campania, LombardyNorthern League wins: Veneto, PiedmontCentre-left wins: Basilicata, Emilia Romagna, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Tuscany, Umbria | |
| The Northern League - which is allied with the PDL - won Veneto, as expected, as well as edging out the centre-left in Piedmont. | The Northern League - which is allied with the PDL - won Veneto, as expected, as well as edging out the centre-left in Piedmont. |
| It also narrowed the gap on the PDL in Lombardy, the region that includes Milan and Italy's economic heartland. | It also narrowed the gap on the PDL in Lombardy, the region that includes Milan and Italy's economic heartland. |
| The vote leaves the opposition centre-left in control of seven of the 13 regions, down from 11. | The vote leaves the opposition centre-left in control of seven of the 13 regions, down from 11. |
| The turnout - the lowest in 15 years - was a clear sign that Italian voters were disaffected with politics, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said on Monday. | The turnout - the lowest in 15 years - was a clear sign that Italian voters were disaffected with politics, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said on Monday. |
| "We should see to it that participation is stronger in the next elections in three years," he said. | "We should see to it that participation is stronger in the next elections in three years," he said. |
| Mr Berlusconi had already suffered a turbulent 2009, marked by allegations about his friendship with a teenage model and about escort girls attending parties at his residences. | Mr Berlusconi had already suffered a turbulent 2009, marked by allegations about his friendship with a teenage model and about escort girls attending parties at his residences. |
| His wife also filed for divorce, and he suffered a broken nose when a man threw a model of Milan cathedral at his face. | His wife also filed for divorce, and he suffered a broken nose when a man threw a model of Milan cathedral at his face. |
| Last week, Italian media said the prime minister was being investigated for allegedly trying to pressure the communications watchdog to block state TV chat shows critical of his government. | Last week, Italian media said the prime minister was being investigated for allegedly trying to pressure the communications watchdog to block state TV chat shows critical of his government. |
| Some 41 million Italians - two-thirds of the population - were eligible to vote in the election. | Some 41 million Italians - two-thirds of the population - were eligible to vote in the election. |