Exit poll gives center-right bloc edge in Italian election

Euroskeptic, far-right sentiment prominent among some parties.

ROME — A center-right coa- lition had a slight edge over an anti-establishment party in Italy’s election Sunday, an exit poll by RAI state TV found.

The same poll found former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi dueling for the center-right’s leadership with anti-migrant party leader Matteo Salvini; their respec- tive Forza Italia and League parties were running nearly neck-and-neck.

Whichever party dominates the coalition would be better poised to make a bid for the premiership should the coalition muster enough support in Parliament to support a government.

But no party alone was taking enough seats to govern alone, the exit poll by the Piepoli polling agency found.

The exit poll put the cen- can migrants and injured six. ter-right coalition, which But the 5-Star Movement’s includes a smaller far-right principle of not allying with party, with 33 percent to 36 any party — its supporters percent of the vote, com- consider themselves part of pared with the anti-estaba nonparty — could complilishment 5-Star Movement’s cate deal-making to form a 29.5 percent to 32.5 percent. new government if Salvini’s

The center-left coalition populist-leaning League ends that currently governs Italy up seeking a partner that’s and is led by the Democratic not Berlusconi’s more modParty was lagging at 24.5 per- erate party. cent to 27.5 percent, accordHe d ging his bets, the ing to the exit poll. The poll 5-Stars’ candidate for prehad a margin of error of 3 mier, 31-year-old Luigi Di percentage points. Maio, has shown some open

The first projections based ness to potential partners. on an initial vote count were With Salvini gunning for expected early today. the premiership himself,

How the actual votes stack some pro-European anaup could determine if Italy lysts envisioned a possible is swept up in the euroskep“nightmare scenario” of an tic and far-right sentiment extremist alliance among the that has emerged in much 5-Stars, the League and the of Europe. right-wing Brothers of Italy.

The campaigning in Italy Steve Bannon, right-wing was marked by neo-fas- populist architect of Doncist rhetoric and anti-miald Trump’s White House grant violence that culmi- campaign, was in Rome this nated in a shooting spree weekend, cheering on the last month that targeted Afri- populists.