One in two Italians is against Sergio Mattarella for president, a survey by Ixé pollsters showed Friday.
Premier Matteo Renzi tapped Mattarella, a Constitutional Court judge and founding member of the ruling center-left Democratic Party (PD), for the post on Thursday.
Another 20% support Mattarella's candidacy and 29% said they didn't know.
A majority of respondents, or 72%, said they want the president elected directly by citizens, and not by an assembly of MPs and regional representatives as per the Constitution.
Another 22% were against the idea and 6% didn't know.
The survey of 1,000 respondents aged 18 and over was carried out January 28 and 29 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
