Italy voting enters final day
Former primer minister hoping for comeback amid economic downturn and pessimism.
The early election was called after the centre-left government of Romano Prodi collapsed in January, having completed 20 months in power.
Both Berlusconi and his rival have pledged to reverse the economic downturn [AFP] |
The election winner will probably have to form a coalition government with one of several small parties, which have largely been kept at arms length by the main candidates during campaigning.
The possibility of a split parliament led Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC), to say that he could take up the premiership to become a referee between the two large blocs.
Berlusconi has urged supporters of smaller groups – there are a total of 32 candidates for prime minister – to cast a “useful vote” for his People of Freedom (PDL).
A general malaise was also reflected in the last opinion surveys that classed one-third of Italy’s 47 million voters as undecided.
Berlusconi has led opinion polls by between six and nine percentage points.