Italy

[afleitch]

I wonder if anyone would dispute the legitimacy of a narrow Berlusconi victory?

[afleitch]

I can't believe i'm rooting for the Left Coalition, but while I don't dislike Berlusconi individually his allies scare the be-jeezus out of me.

[afleitch]

52.0 to 47.1 now. The results are converging towards exit poll esitmates.

[afleitch]

'Camera' results so far by region and district.



Grey indicates areas where there has been no results at hand. Apparet from Aosta, where there are results but I can't interpret them!

[afleitch]

UPDATE

Prodi's List at over 80% in Trentino in the Chamber of Deputies due to caoltiion partner, the South Tyrolean People's Party polling around 65% in Trentino.

[afleitch]

In the Senate race, Puglia is about 52.5% for Berlusconi and a third of the precincts have reported. In the Chamber, counting has really just begun.

[afleitch]

The left just cheered on Sky News. Prodi must have got a boost.

[afleitch]

Apparently the Prodi camp are saying Berlusconi has taken the lower house by a whisker.

Overseas vote may be crucial.

[afleitch]

UPDATED MAP



And Yes red is for Prodi, blue for Berlusconi.

[afleitch]

Apparently the Prodi camp are saying Berlusconi has taken the lower house by a whisker.

Not good. Counting hasn't finished yet though; would that be based on a Rai prediction or?...

Apprently from an Italian on PB. I'm refreshing them every few minutes.

[afleitch]

Its interesting to see Western Sicily after trending Left flip Right...

EDIT: as in tonight as the results came through.

[afleitch]

SKY Italia have video coverage here:

http://live.corriere.it/

[afleitch]

Projections seem to be flickering by 10ths of a percent, which scarily makes the difference. I would think Prodi will win the Chamber and Berlusconi the Senate

[afleitch]

Interesting nugget: The voting age for the Chamber of Dupties is 18 but for the Senate its 25.

[afleitch]

I heard Prodi speak. Using my rubbish school Italian he seems to be saying it's tight. But the man sounded exhausted but calm.

[afleitch]

The left's lead in the Camera is now down to 0.33%

EDIT now at 0.29

EDIT 2: 0.15%

[afleitch]

The question now is--how long will the left wing coalition last.

That was one of the interesting things during the election. Berlusconi actually led a fairly stable government and remained PM for a long time by Italian standards. Prodi's coalition, looking at their past record is less likely to remain stable andn is more politically diverse. It would be a travesty if Italy went back to the shifting 'coalitions within coalitions' of the past.