Far-right Giorgia Meloni on course to become Italian prime minister – exit polls

Giorgia Meloni is on course to become Italy’s next prime minister at the head of a centre-right coalition that has won big, exit polls show.

Meloni’s far-right party, Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia), is set to be the largest party, obtaining a quarter of all votes cast. Exit polls are giving Meloni’s party anything between 22% and 26%. Meloni will be Italy’s first female prime minister.

The centre-right appears to have won an absolute majority of seats in both houses of the Italian parliament.

The centre-right coalition comprises the far-right Northern League (Lega) headed by Matteo Salvini and the moderate Go Italy (Forza Italia) led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Exit polls gave the Lega anything between 8.5% and 12.5% and Forza Italia between 6% and 8%.

The centre-left Democratic Party (Partito Democratico) could emerge as the second largest party with a range between 17% and 21%, followed by the Five Star Movement with a range between 13.5% and 17.5%.

The liberal coalition comprised of Azione and Italia Viva is expected to poll between 6.5% and 8.5%.

All results are based on exit polls with party functionaries urging caution given the mixed system in which some seats are awarded on a first past the post system and others on proportional representation.

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More to follow.