International press thrown curve ball with Italian elections
Projections conflict in tight race
25 February, 17:57
(ANSA) - Rome, February 25 - International media were thrown
off guard Monday by contrasting projections as to who would win
general elections in Italy.
Shortly after voting booths closed, leading outlets such as
the BBC, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times
reported a probable win for the centre-left coalition led by
Pier Luigi Bersani, which exit polls showed had likely won a
sizeable majority in the House.
But conflicting projections based on votes counted later
Monday showed that the race in the Senate was too close to call.According to a projection by public broadcaster Rai, ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition was on course to win 31.3% of the Senate vote, compared to 30.1% for the centre left.
But a projection by Mediaset - the private broadcaster owned by media magnate Berlusconi - showed Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left coalition ahead in the Senate race.
The projection, which contrasted with those of other networks, gave the centre left 35.95% of the votes for the Upper House, the centre right 24.98%, and the anti-establishment M5S 25.59%.
"The polls don't give a clear idea of whether the Democratic Party - which has long been expected to take the lead - will command the full backing it needs in both houses of parliament to form a stable government needed to steer Italy's ailing economy lest the country become a trouble spot for Europe again," the Wall Street Journal said.
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