Italy election: Early exit polls point to hung parliament

Voting has now closed in Italy, in one of the most uncertain elections in living memory.

Correspondents say it is hard to say who will come out on top.

Early exit polls suggest a hung parliament is likely, and that ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition is set to win the most seats.

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement is in second place according to the exit polls, and looks likely to be the largest single party.

The centre-right bloc includes Mr. Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party, the eurosceptic League, and Brothers of Italy. 

Initial projections suggest it will not get the absolute majority required to govern.

Mr. Berlusconi, 81, cannot himself hold public office until next year due to a tax fraud conviction.

The four-time prime minister - who has allied himself with the anti-immigrant League party - has backed European Parliament President Antonio Tajani as his choice to lead the country.

Italy has seen a divisive election campaign dominated by concerns over immigration and the economy.

Officials at 19:00 (18:00 GMT) said that voter turnout stood at more than 58%, with several hours still to go.

Long queues were seen at voting centres around the country, with residents in Rome being asked to turn up well before polls closed at 23:00 (22:00 GMT) to make sure they had time to cast their ballot.

The delays are thought to have been caused by a new voting system and new in-depth, anti-fraud checks.

In Palermo, Sicily, 200,000 ballots had to be reprinted because of errors, which led to a delay in some polls opening.

More than 600,000 migrants have made the treacherous journey from Libya across the Mediterranean to reach Italy since 2013.

The huge number of arrivals has upset many Italians - with politicians, including from the mainstream, toughening their rhetoric as a result.

Mr. Berlusconi has called the presence of illegal migrants a "social time-bomb" and pledges mass deportations.

The campaign has seen violent clashes between far-right supporters and anti-fascist protesters.

Italy's economy has started to expand once again but nearly 10 years on from the global financial crisis, Italy's gross domestic product - or total economic output - remains 5.7% lower than pre-crisis levels.

In 2016, some 18 million people were at risk of poverty, and unemployment is at 11%.

SOURCE: BBC News
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