Berlusconi's right-wing coalition ahead in Italy vote

Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing coalition is set to win the most votes but may fall short of a majority in Italy's election, with far-right and populist parties surging ahead. According to exit polls, Berlusconi, a flamboyant three-time former Prime Minister, cannot hold elected office because of a fraud conviction but has put forward European Parliament President Antonio Tajani as his Prime Ministerial



nominee. 

His four-party coalition is expected to win between 31 and 41 per cent of the vote, followed by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement with 29-32 per cent. An exit poll by private channel La7 put Berlusconi's coalition at between 32 and 37.6 per cent and the Five Star Movement between 28.8 and 30.8 per cent. The ruling centre-left Democratic Party was trailing in third place.