Uncertainty looms over Italy election

Italy’s March 4 general election will pit a centre-right coalition against populists and a divided left, with polls suggesting a hung parliament and prolonged uncertainty in the eurozone’s third-largest economy


Democratic Party (PD)
Ruling centre-left party of Matteo Renzi, who resigned as prime minister after losing constitutional reform vote in Dec 2016.
Left has splintered since his departure from government, denting popular support for PD

Five Star Movement
Populist group led by Luigi Di Maio draws on growing dissatisfaction with economic decline, high youth unemployment and immigration. In run up to election, party has dropped long-held pledge to take Italy out of eurozone

Forza Italia
Main party of resurgent centre-right, led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi –
currently barred from frontline politics due to tax fraud convictions.
Party’s eventual prime ministerial candidate will depend on alliance with anti-euro,
anti-immigrant Lega Nord, headed by Matteo Salvini (below)


VOTE SHARES OF COALITIONS (Jan 8 poll)

Centre-right: Forza Italia (FI), Lega Nord (LN), Brothers of Italy (FdI), Us with Italy (NcI)
38.5%

Five Star Movement (M5S)
28.1%

Centre-left: Democratic Party and others
25%


Sources: Politico, Tecnè Italia 
Pictures: AP, Getty Images, Newscom 
© GRAPHIC NEWS