Polls open in Italy's general elections

Polls opened today in Italy's general elections with conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi expected to defeat new center-left candidate Walter Veltroni. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (local time), with voting to continue until 10 p.m. Italy has a 50-million-strong electorate.  Italy has a two-chamber parliament which consists of the House of Deputies and the Senate. Citizens who have turned 18 are eligible for electing members of the House of Deputies. While senators are elected by citizens aged not less than 25.


The snap election was called after the collapse in January of the government of Romano Prodi.