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Italy election: Early vote count shows tight race Italy election: Early vote count points to impasse
(about 1 hour later)
Early figures from Italy's election suggest a lead for the centre-left in the lower house but the centre-right seems to be leading in the Senate. Early results from Italy's election suggest the houses of parliament may split between left and right, causing new anxiety in the eurozone.
Exit polls suggest Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc took 34.5% of the vote for the lower house with Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right group on 29%. According to early figures, Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc is poised to take the lower house while Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right appears to be leading in the powerful Senate.
But in the upper house, Mr Berlusconi's bloc is leading by 31.6% to 29.4%, an early vote count indicates. A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo has surged into third.
A protest movement led by a former comedian is in third place. The election comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures.
The two-day vote marks a return to full-blown democracy for Italians after Mario Monti's technocratic government. It marks a return to full-blown democracy for Italians after the technocratic government of Mario Monti whose attempts to reduce spending caused widespread public resentment.
It is taking place amid a deep recession and austerity measures, brought in by Mr Monti, that have caused widespread public resentment. As projections began to show no clear winner the Milan stock market dipped into negative territory, after earlier soaring nearly 4% when exit polls suggested a clear Bersani victory.
As the projections began to show no clear winner in the election, the Milan stock market dipped into negative territory after soaring nearly 4%.
Correspondents say Italy's EU partners and the financial markets want to see a stable outcome to the election, with a commitment to reform and debt-reduction.Correspondents say Italy's EU partners and the financial markets want to see a stable outcome to the election, with a commitment to reform and debt-reduction.
The BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt, says Brussels and Berlin would like to see Mr Bersani form a governing coalition with Mr Monti.The BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt, says Brussels and Berlin would like to see Mr Bersani form a governing coalition with Mr Monti.
They fear that an uncertain outcome could lead to Greek-style paralysis in the euro-zone's third largest economy, he says. They fear that an uncertain outcome could lead to Greek-style paralysis in the eurozone's third largest economy, he says.
A leading figure in Mr Bersani's party has said a new election may need to be called in order to form a stable government.
Strong showingStrong showing
Shortly after voting ended at 15:00 (14:00 GMT), exit polls for both Sky and Rai television gave the centre-left a roughly 5.5-point lead in the lower house. As the official count got under way, exit polls forecast 34.5% for Mr Bersani's centre-left bloc in the lower house (Chamber of Deputies).
If the exit polls are confirmed, they would echo the opinion polls prior to the election which made Mr Bersani's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) a consistent frontrunner to secure the lower house with nearly 35%. Mr Berlusconi's bloc was being given 29%, Mr Grillo's Five Star Movement 19% and the centrist list led by Mario Monti 9.5%.
The Senate race is being fought on a region-by-region basis. At that stage, Mr Bersani was also projected to win a majority in the Senate, where seats are decided region by region.
Based on the early vote count, which put Mr Berlusconi's coalition ahead of centre-left, Beppe Grillo's protest party was in third with 24.9% there and Mr Monti's centrist list fourth with 9.2%. Mr Berlusconi's party was projected to win in Lombardy, Campania and Sicily. However, a subsequent projection for the state broadcaster Rai put Mr Berlusconi's bloc ahead in the Senate with 31.6% to 29.4% for the centre-left, 24.9% to Five Star and 9.2% to the Monti list.
These results contrast sharply with exit poll data which had Mr Bersani's party in the lead in the Senate. A projection for commercial broadcaster Sky painted a similar picture.
Control of both the lower and upper houses of parliament is needed in order to govern.Control of both the lower and upper houses of parliament is needed in order to govern.
Many predict Mr Bersani, a former Communist, will seek to form a coalition with Mr Monti if he fails to win an outright majority. Mr Bersani has pledged to continue with Mr Monti's reforms but suggests current European policy needs to do more to promote growth and jobs.
Mr Bersani has pledged to continue with Mr Monti's tough reforms, but suggests current European policy needs to do more to promote growth and jobs.
The fiercely anti-establishment Five Star movement of former comedian Beppe Grillo drew wide and growing support during the campaign, and appears to have made a strong showing in the election with exit polls suggesting he attracted 19% of the vote in the lower house.
The election was called two months ahead of schedule, after Mr Berlusconi's party withdrew its support for Mr Monti's government.The election was called two months ahead of schedule, after Mr Berlusconi's party withdrew its support for Mr Monti's government.
Exit polls put Mr Monti's new centrist alliance in fourth place, with about 10% of the vote. Speaking on Italian public TV, Mr Bersani's economics spokesman, Stefano Fassina, said: "The scenario from the projections we have seen so far suggests there will be no stable government and we would need to return to the polls."
Are you in Italy? Did you vote? You can share your thoughts and experiences using the form below.Are you in Italy? Did you vote? You can share your thoughts and experiences using the form below.