Italy heads for a hung parliament

TWO populist and stridently anti-EU political groups – both fierce rivals – surged in Italy’s parliamentary election at the expense of the country’s traditional powers.

But neither gained enough support to govern alone, preliminary results from Sunday’s election showed. A hung parliament is expected.

Preliminary results showed the populist 5-Star Movement getting about 32% of the vote. The right-wing and anti-immigrant League party got around 18% of the vote.