The elections in Italy: Today (Sunday) more than 50 million eligible voters went to the polling stations throughout the land of the boot in order to choose their representatives in the parliament. The polling stations opened at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 11:00 p.m. Although the first results are expected to be published as early as tomorrow, it will take a few weeks before the new government is formed. Meanwhile, according to the polls, the extreme right is expected to make history, but the left parties still maintain optimism.
The election campaign in Italy got underway after political struggles that led to the collapse of the government of outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi last July. Today’s elections signal a moment of severe energy crisis, widespread voter disillusionment and questions about Italy’s future position towards the European Union.
Meanwhile, many citizens are still pessimistic about the image of the next government. Marinella Pacioli, a 75-year-old citizen of the country, said that “I hope something will turn out for the better, but I’m not very sure.” Another citizen, Andrea Cuccinti, 25 years old, said that “We need a change, but whatever you choose we will plant, the ruling class is the issue. We must vote, it’s a must, but I wouldn’t vote for any of those I voted for if I had a better choice “.
So who are the favorite candidates to win the election? According to the polls, Georgia Maloney, the leader of the extreme right party, received 25% of the votes in the last poll. If the actual results are similar, she is on course to become Italy’s first ever prime minister leading a right-wing coalition, which includes Matteo Salvini, a staunch opponent of immigration, and former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Alongside this, the “Five Star” movement of the former prime minister, Giuseppe Contewhich many consider a “dying party”, received only 13% in the poll, after a strong campaign in the south of the country that dealt with the minimum hourly wage and stronger welfare measures.
Also, in the center-left, the Democratic Party led by the former prime minister Enrico Lata is expected to receive 21% of the votes and its partners in the coalition (the Greens, the Left Alliance, Mor Europe and Sivic Commitment) will receive only a few percent according to estimates.