Italy has seen voters largely opt for the status quo, exit polls following regional elections showed Monday, dispelling some expectations that the right-wing opposition, led by the Lega party, could make strong advances at the expense of the center-left.
Exit polls reported by Reuters when voting ended at 3 p.m. local time showed that the center-left could be just ahead of the center-right in the key voting ground of Tuscany, which has been traditionally a center-left stronghold. However, exit polls showed the center-right could have taken Marche from its rivals.
The region of Campania is expected to be held by the center-left, and Veneto and Liguria by the center-right. Exit polls showed center-right and center-left alliances neck-and-neck in Puglia. In the small region of Valle d’Aosta, a Lega-backed list was seen in front, Reuters noted.
Regional elections were held in seven regions — Tuscany, Valle d’Aosta, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Veneto and Campania — and a long-awaited constitutional referendum on whether to reduce the number of members in parliament from 945 to 600 was also held. An exit poll for the referendum showed the reform was expected to pass easily, as expected. The elections started on Sunday and continued into Monday.
