First extrapolation from Italy: Melonis post-fascists strongest force - "worrying"

Created: 09/26/2022, 04:53

By: Florian Naumann, Patrick Mayer, Andreas Schmid, Franziska Schwarz

Italy has voted: Giorgia Meloni's right-wing populists win the parliamentary elections.

Silvio Berlusconi and his party are among the losers.

The news ticker.

• Fratelli and Lega

  expect

  right-wing government

  : What are the consequences of the result?

• First

  extrapolation

  from

  Italy

  :

  Giorgia Meloni

  's right-wing populists win the parliamentary elections.

• New government in

  Rome

  possible: alliance of

  Fratelli d'Italia, Lega

  and

  Forza Italia

  has more than half of the seats in parliament.

• This

  news ticker for the Italian elections

  is constantly updated.

Update from September 26, 1:00 a.m

.: There are still many unanswered questions about the result of the Italian elections – there is only a projection (see below) for the composition of the Senate, the smaller of the two chambers of parliament.

But all indications, including the exit polls, point to an election victory for the right-wing nationalist alliance: the strongest force is likely to be the post-fascist Fratelli d'Italia, their boss Giorgia Meloni has the best cards for the post as Italy's (first) prime minister.

Despite losses to their allies Lega and Forza Italia.

In view of this, there are already initial warnings from abroad.

“Giorgia Meloni will be a prime minister whose political role models are Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump.

The election victory of the alliance of right-centre parties in Italy is therefore worrying," said the Vice President of the European Parliament, Katharina Barley (SPD), the

.

The spokesman for the German Greens in the EU Parliament, Rasmus Andresen, said that the "unprecedented Italian slide to the right" would have massive effects on Europe and the EU: "Italy, as a founding member and the third strongest economy in the EU, is heading for an anti-democratic and anti-European government." US broadcaster CNN stated that Meloni would be the Italian head of government to be located “furthest to the right” since Mussolini.

Politicians from the German AfD, the right-wing national Rassemblement National (RN) from France and the Polish PiS, on the other hand, congratulated Meloni on winning the elections in Italy.

"We're celebrating with Italy!" Wrote AfD member of parliament Beatrix von Storch on Twitter.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter: "Congratulations @Giogia Meloni".

French MEP Jordan Bardella of Marine Le Pens RN tweeted that the Italians had given European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen "a lesson in humility".

The German politician said last week that her agency had "tools" if Italy, under a right-wing government, failed to comply with EU rules.

First projection for the parliamentary elections in Italy, as of Sunday night, 12:30 a.m.:

Update from September 26, 0.27 a.m .:

The broadcaster RAI has published a first projection of the outcome of the Italy election.

The figures are broken down by electoral blocks: The right-wing alliance has 42.2 percent of the votes in the Senate, one of the two chambers of parliament.

The left-wing alliance made up of Enrico Letta's Partito Democratico, the Greens and Più Europa landed at 26.4 percent.

The only contested Movimento 5 position ranks at 16.5 percent.

Compared to the first forecast, the potential coalition partners of Giorgia Melonis Fratelli d'Italia are suffering the most.

With 8% and 8.5% respectively, Lega and Forza Italia are at the lower end of the initially indicated result corridor – and noticeably below their 2018 election results.

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Fratelli and Lega expect right-wing government - what are the consequences of the result?

Update from September 26, 12:20 a.m .:

According to the first forecasts for the Italian election, the hard-right “Alliance” itself assumes government responsibility.

"We can govern with these numbers," said Fratelli MP Fabio Rampelli.

The alliance has "a clear lead in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate," said Lega politician Matteo Salvini on Twitter.

"It's going to be a long night, but I want to thank you in advance."

First, sometimes anxious, looks are now directed at the effects of the election result on Italy, Europe and the Ukraine war.

During the election campaign, the right-wing presented enormously expensive demands in order to cope with the consequences of the energy crisis and inflation.

This includes massive tax cuts – Fratelli, Lega and Forza Italia had not presented an idea for financing.

When it comes to Ukraine and especially sanctions against Russia, there could be a dispute.

Fratelli boss Giorgia Meloni had demonstratively backed European support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia during the election campaign.

Salvini had openly questioned the latter.

On the other hand, both Salvini's Lega and the Fratelli d'Italia are critical of the EU.

Update from September 25, 11:50 p.m.:

In Rome, after the polling stations were closed, a new right-wing national government appeared.

The alliance of the far-right Fratelli d'Italia party, the right-wing populist Lega and the national-conservative Forza Italia has 41 to 45 percent of the votes and probably more than half of the seats in parliament due to the first-past-the-post system.

Giorgia Meloni, Fratelli's top candidate, is likely to become Italy's first female head of government.

The votes should be counted by Monday noon and the final result of the parliamentary elections should be known.

New government in Rome?

Fratelli d'Italia, Lega and Forza Italia have more than half of the seats

Update from September 25, 11:25 p.m .:

As the TV channels Rai and SkyTG24 report on Sunday evening based on post-election surveys, the alliance of the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party, the right-wing populist Lega and the national conservative Forza Italia has more than that half of the seats in Parliament.

This would make it possible for these three parties to form a government.

The new head of government would then be called Giorgia Meloni and would be a woman for the first time in Italian history.

Italy's head of government soon: Giorgia Meloni in Rome announcing the first forecasts.

© IMAGO / ZUMA Press

First forecasts from Italy: Giorgia Meloni's right-wing populists win the parliamentary elections

Update from September 25, 11:20 p.m .:

The first forecasts see an election victory for Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing populist Fratelli d’Italia, which, with an estimated 22 to 26 percent of the votes, is lower than the polls (27 percent) predicted.

Instead, the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) by ex-Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte can gain percentage points compared to the surveys.

As of now, the loser is the national-conservative Forza Italia led by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

He actually wanted to take votes from Matteo Salvini's right-wing conservative Lega and get over ten percent.

Instead, according to the first forecasts, his party should settle between six and eight percent.

Because of the majority voting system, a right-wing conservative alliance of Fratelli, Lega and Forza Italia in Rome is still possible according to these forecasts.

Election in Italy: First forecasts see right-wing populist Fratelli d'Italia as the strongest force

Update from September 25, 11:05 p.m.:

The first preliminary forecasts for the outcome of the election in Italy are there.

Accordingly, the right-wing populist Fratelli d'Italia is the strongest force with 22 to 26 percent, followed by the social democratic Partito Democratico with 17 to 21 percent.

The right-wing conservative Forza Italia led by ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi only gets six to eight percent of the votes.

This is reported, among others, by the daily newspaper

.

Update from September 25, 10:45 p.m .:

The polling stations in Italy are still open for a quarter of an hour.

Then there are the first projections between Sicily, Rome, Tuscany, Piedmont and Venice.

Low voter turnout in Italy: In the south, significantly fewer people go to the polls

Update from September 25, 10:25 p.m .:

Voter turnout in Italy will be lower than four years ago and thus fall to a record low since the end of the Second World War.

By 7 p.m. in the 20 Italian regions, so many of those entitled to vote had cast their votes:

• Emilia-Romagna 59.76%

• Lombardy 58.35%

• Tuscany 58.07%

• Veneto 57.6%

• Friuli Venezia Giulia 56.23%

• Umbria 56.07%

• Brands 55.69%

• Piedmont 53.61%

• Liguria 53.45;

  %

• Lazio 53.18%

• Trentino Alto Adige 52.55%

• Abruzzo 51.38%

• Aosta Valley 48.76%

• Molise 44.04%

• Puglia 42.58%

• Sicily 41.90%

• Basilicata 41.27%

• Sardinia 40.97%

• Campania 38.72%

• Calabria 36.92%

Update from September 25, 10 p.m.:

The polling stations in Italy are open for another hour.

As

reports, turnout at 7 p.m. was only 51.1 percent.

This corresponds to a decrease of more than seven percentage points compared to 2018, when 73 percent of all Italians eligible to vote went to the polls.

The turnout in northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna, with cities such as Bologna, Modena and Parma, is comparatively high.

On the other hand, fewer voters would have cast their votes in the poorer regions in the south, for example in Apulia or in Calabria.

Giorgia Meloni votes late: right-wing populist only wants to appear shortly before the polling stations close

Update from September 25, 9:25 p.m .:

The right-wing populist and election favorite Giorgia Meloni announced on Sunday morning to vote in a school in the south of Rome, but did not appear as planned.

According to a spokeswoman, she wants to vote shortly before the polling stations close.

Several top candidates had already voted in the morning: Matteo Salvini from the right-wing populist League in Milan, the social democrat Enrico Letta in Rome and central politician Matteo Renzi in Florence.

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of the Forza Italia party also cast his vote in Milan with his partner Marta Fascina.

Top candidate of the Fratelli: Girogia Meloni.

© IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

"Shortly before the election, many undecided": Is there a surprise in the Italy election?

Update from September 25, 8:15 p.m .:

“Because there were still many undecided shortly before the election, a surprise cannot be ruled out.” This is reported by the ARD “Tagesschau” this Sunday evening for the Italian election.

Polls had put Giorgia Meloni's right-wing populist Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) in the lead.

“Meloni has been in opposition for the last three governments.

It's a good bonus for you to say, in terms of the electorate, that I've had nothing to do with governments," explains Andrea de Petris of Rome's Center for European Politics in the post.

In a Sept. 9 poll by the SWG Institute, Fratelli got 27 percent of the vote, up from 25.1 percent in a poll by Ipsos the same day.

Movimento 5 Stelle won the Italian parliamentary elections in 2018 - now Giuseppe Conte is threatened with defeat

Update from September 25, 6:55 p.m .:

The 2018 parliamentary elections were won by the Movimento 5 Stelle, the five-star movement in German.

The M5S then provided Giuseppe Conte as Prime Minister of Italy from June 1, 2018 to February 13, 2021.

On March 4, 2018, the environmentally friendly, EU-skeptical and anti-globalization party still won 32.68 percent of the vote.

This time, however, a sensitive defeat threatens.

According to the latest polls, the M5S only received between 12% (SWG) and 14.5% (Ipsos) of the votes.

Conte and his political comrades-in-arms will probably have nothing to do with the formation of a government.

The first projections are expected this evening after 11 p.m., the preliminary final result not until Monday morning.

Silvio Berlusconi is back in focus: Forza Italia wants a minimum pension of 1,000 euros

Update from September 25, 6:30 p.m.:

Silvio Berlusconi is once again in focus in Italy in this parliamentary election.

Among other things, his party Forza Italia is concerned with a minimum pension of 1,000 euros and a minimum wage of 1,000 euros for young employees.

Berlusconi's party wants the president to be directly elected in the future.

And this or this should get more political power.

In contrast to the Lega and the Fratelli, the Forza Italia is more moderate in terms of immigration policy.

She is also more moderate with regard to the European Union (EU).

Berlusconi, now 85, was Prime Minister of Italy from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2005, from 2005 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2011.

Update from September 25, 6:20 p.m .:

The ballot for the election of a new parliament is running between Sicily, Rome, Tuscany and Lake Garda.

The first forecasts for the Italian election are only expected after the polling stations have closed at 11 p.m.

Italy's political right is confident of victory: Matteo Salvini allegedly has the new government "in his head"

Update from September 25, 6:05 p.m .:

Italy’s political right is confident of victory.

And she hints at a possible alliance in Rome after the general election.

According to

, Lega's Matteo Salvini announced: "I have the government on my mind."

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he wanted to be the "new director" of a government.

His party will get more than ten percent and take votes away from the Lega, he predicted.

Giorgia Meloni's post-fascist Fratelli d'Italia topped the latest polls on September 9th.

According to the institutes SWG and Ipsos, the party received 25 to 27 percent of the votes.

However, Meloni's targeted legal alliance of Fratelli, Lega and Forza Italia did not have an absolute majority in either of the two surveys commissioned by the TV show "Tg La7" and the 

 .

The federal manager of the Lega Nord, Matteo Salvini (r), talks to the chairwoman of the far-right party Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy), Giorgia Meloni.

© Oliver Weiken/dpa

Too late for the general election at home?

Many Italians are currently in Munich

Update from September 25, 5.40 p.m .:

In no German city do more Italians live than in Munich (around 28,000).

Just this weekend, hundreds of thousands of compatriots traveled to Bavaria for the Oktoberfest.

Many of them spend the whole weekend at the "Festa d'ottobre".

There are so many that some Bavarian radio stations are beginning to broadcast traffic reports in Italian on the second weekend of the Wiesn.

Many Italian Oktoberfest visitors who did not vote by post are likely to miss the ballot at home.

Right-wing populist Giorgia Meloni first female prime minister?

Polls see right block ahead

Update from September 25, 5:15 p.m .:

The right-wing populist Giorgia Meloni could become Italy’s first prime minister with her block of right-wing parties.

In the polls, a possible alliance of Melonis Fratelli d'Italia, Forza Italia and the Lega was ahead.

At her final rally on the Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Meloni shouted: "Italy first!

We are ready to restore Italy's freedom and pride!” Under Meloni, a government policy critical of the EU would be expected.

Lowest voter turnout in the post-war period?

Experts expect a restrained election in Italy

Update from September 25, 5:05 p.m.:

Will it be the lowest voter turnout in Italy in the post-war period?

According to ARD's "Tagesschau", experts expect an election turnout of less than 70 percent.

That would be significantly fewer votes cast than in 2018.

Four years ago, 73 percent of all Italians eligible to vote went to the polls in the parliamentary elections.

That was the lowest turnout in post-war Italy.

had reported a similar turnout as in 2018.

Silvio Berlusconi is confident of victory: Will the right win the election in Italy?

Update from September 25, 4:45 p.m

.: Silvio Berlusconi has shown himself to be confident of victory.

"I play to win and not to take part," said the 85-year-old leader of the party Forza Italia after the vote, accompanied by his 32-year-old partner Marta Fascina.

"I've never seen so many people lining up to vote," he said.

51 million Italians are entitled to vote this Sunday, the polling stations are open until 11 p.m.

The Italian right around Berlusconi, Matteo Salvini and Giorgia Meloni are given a chance of winning the election.

Similar voter turnout as in 2018?

At that time, 73% of eligible Italians voted

Update from September 25, 4:25 p.m

.: In Italy, a turnout similar to that in 2018 is emerging.

This reports

.

According to this, 19.21 percent of voters had cast their votes by 12 noon.

Four years ago, voter turnout was just under 73 percent.

Update from September 25, 3:23 p.m

.: "Let's make history together," Georgia Meloni tweeted in the morning (September 25).

Their allies, such as the Lega, also posted a number of election messages on social networks - they ignored a requirement to refrain from such statements on the day before and on the day of the election.

Berlusconi casts vote: 'I really don't know who to vote for'

Update from September 25, 3:10 p.m .:

Silvio Berlusconi has already voted.

He went to the polls in Milan.

“Of all these executives there is not one who has ever worked.

I really don't know who to choose.

I'm the only one left," he quipped at the polling station, according to La Stampa.

Berlusconi also responded to the long line in front of his polling station and said: "I've never seen such a line to vote," he said.

The background is an additional procedure to combat election fraud.

Italy election: Meloni postpones voting until the evening

Update from September 25, 2:28 p.m

.: Giorgia Meloni only wants to cast her vote shortly before the polling stations close.

Actually, the politician, who counts herself among the "post-fascists" with her party Fratelli d'Italia, wanted to vote in a school in Rome this morning.

According to dpa, a spokeswoman announced Meloni's change of mind.

The reason given was that the polling station was so full of photographers and fans that other citizens were disturbed when voting, reports

.

The federal manager of the Lega Nord, Matteo Salvini (r), talks to the chairwoman of the far-right party Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy), Giorgia Meloni.

© Oliver Weiken/dpa

Trouble in front of polling stations: Stripes on ballot papers probably cause queues

Update from September 25, 2:16 p.m

.: An additional procedure to combat electoral fraud also caused frustration in the Italian election.

There were long queues in front of some polling stations, partly because a strip had to be carefully torn off the two completed ballot papers before they could be thrown into the ballot box.

Salvini on the performance of the Lega in the Italian election: "In the worst case, third"

Update from September 25, 1:34 p.m

.: Matteo Salvini sees his party “on the podium in the Italy election: first, second, third in the worst case,” said the politician of the right-wing populist Lega when he voted.

"I can't wait to return to the government of this extraordinary country tomorrow," said the former interior minister.

Die meisten Analysten gehen davon aus, dass das rechte Lager gewinnen wird. Allerdings könnte der erwartete Erdrutschsieg auch ausbleiben - rund 20 Prozent der italienischen Wähler galten bis zuletzt als unentschlossen, Überraschungen waren Experten zufolge noch möglich.

Wahlbeteiligung in Italien: Stand 12 Uhr niedriger als bei vorheriger Wahl

Update vom 25. September, 12.54 Uhr: Um zwölf Uhr lag die Wahlbeteiligung in Italien bei 18,41 Prozent. Das berichtet La Repubblica unter Berufung auf Zahlen aus dem Innenministerium. Die Daten beziehen sich demnach auf Zahlen aus 4.275 von insgesamt 7.904 Gemeinden. Bei der letzten Wahl hatte die Wahlbeteiligung zum gleichen Zeitpunkt demnach bei 19,17 Prozent gelegen.

Update vom 25. September, 12.27 Uhr: Zur Italien-Wahl 2022 kursiert auf Twitter auch ein „Was-bisher-geschah“-Clip zur politischen Lage in dem Land: Alle Wahlergebnisse in Italien seit 1983. Regierungen gehen in Italien außergewöhnlich häufig zu Bruch. Ein wichtiger Grund dafür ist das politische System des Landes Die Infografik ist dementsprechend bunt:

Italien-Wahl: Beobachter fürchten niedrige Wahlbeteiligung

Update vom 25. September, 11.39 Uhr: Beobachter erwarten, dass die traditionell eigentlich hohe Wahlbeteiligung in Italien weiter schrumpfen wird: 2001 hatte sie noch bei über 85 Prozent gelegen, seither ging sie von Wahl zu Wahl auf nur noch 72,9 Prozent zurück.

„Italienische Verhältnisse“, dieser Ausdruck steht im Deutschen sprichwörtlich für politisches Chaos - die Republik hatte seit ihrer Gründung 1946 bereits 67 Regierungen. Davor scheint auch das Oberhaupt der Katholiken kapituliert zu haben. „Von italienischer Politik verstehe ich nicht viel“, sagte Papst Franziskus laut AFP kürzlich. „20 Regierungen in 20 Jahren, das kommt mir schon ein bisschen seltsam vor.“ Immerhin, der Argentinier machte eine gütige Ergänzung: „Jeder hat wohl seine eigene Art, Tango zu tanzen.“

Italien-Wahl: Erste Spitzenpolitiker geben Stimme ab

Update vom 25. September, 10.45 Uhr: Die Schicksalswahl in Italien läuft und auch die ersten Spitzenpolitiker haben ihre Stimmen abgegeben. Präsident Sergio Mattarella wählte schon um kurz vor neun Uhr in Palermo. Lega-Chef Matteo Salvini stand um kurz nach neun Uhr in Mailand an der Urne. „Ich spiele, um zu gewinnen, nicht, um dabei zu sein“, sagte er laut La Stampa angesprochen auf seine Ziele bei der Wahl. Auch der Chef der Italia Viva, Matteo Renzi hat seine Stimme bereits abgegeben. Er wählte mit seiner Frau in Rom. Für Renzi geht es nun allerdings direkt nach Tokio, um dort dem Staatsbegräbnis von Shinzo Abe beizuwohnen.

Italien-Wahl: Kompliziertes Wahlsystem pro Rechts-Block

Update vom 25. September, 9.55 Uhr: Italiens Wahlsystem ist übrigens eine Mischung aus Direkt- und Verhältniswahl, von dem starke Allianzen profitieren können. Je ein Drittel der 200 Senatoren und 400 Mitglieder des Abgeordnetenhauses werden in den Wahlkreisen direkt gewählt. Die restlichen zwei Drittel der Sitze werden je nach landesweitem Abschneiden der Parteien vergeben.

Weil die Rechten sich in den Direktwahlkreisen auf gemeinsame Kandidaten einigen konnten, während ihre teils arg zerstrittenen Gegner jeweils eigene Leute nominierten, prognostizierten Beobachter die möglicherweise guten Ergebnisse für Meloni. Bei der Verhältniswahl würden dann weniger als 50 Prozent Zustimmung trotzdem für eine Mehrheit im Parlament reichen. Überhangmandate wie in Deutschland gibt es nicht.

„Strand-Enteignung“ als Wahlkampfthema: Meloni beunruhigt Familienunternehmen

Update vom 25. September, 8.31 Uhr: Bei der Italien-Wahl heben die Kandidaten auch auf die weltweit beliebten Strände des Landes ab - vor allem Giorgia Meloni mit den Postfaschisten der Fratelli d‘Italia (FDI). „Wir haben das Meer und tun so, als ob es nicht da wäre. Wir handeln, als ob wir die Schweiz wären!“, rief Meloni laut tagesschau.de bei einem Wahlkampfauftritt in Pescara.

Der Hintergrund: Der größte Teil der fast 8000 Kilometer italienischen Küste ist in privater Hand, die Preise für Touristen sind hoch. Die EU verlangt nun, dass Italien die Strand-Konzessionen ab 2024 europaweit nach nachvollziehbaren Kriterien ausschreibt. Dabei sollen aber bereits vorhandene Investitionen geschützt und auch Unternehmer, die in den letzten fünf Jahren hauptsächlich von den Strandbädern gelebt haben, berücksichtigt werden, berichtet ein ARD-Rom-Korrespondent.

Dennoch pustete Meloni jetzt in die Glut: 30.000 Strandbad-Unternehmen seien „enteignet“ worden, behauptete sie, und weiter habe der Staat deren Geld „jetzt den ausländischen multinationalen Firmen überlassen“, so der Bericht - und beunruhigte so betroffene Familienunternehmen.

Italien-Wahl: Wahllokale von 7 bis 23 Uhr geöffnet

Update vom 25. September, 8.09 Uhr: Seit 7 Uhr morgens laufen die Parlamentswahlen in Italien. Die Wahllokale sind bis 23.00 Uhr geöffnet und gut 51,5 Millionen Italienerinnen und Italiener zur Abstimmung aufgerufen.

Favoriten auf den Sieg sind laut Umfragen die Rechtsparteien: Giorgia Meloni von der extrem rechten Partei Fratelli d‘Italia hat gute Chancen, neue Ministerpräsidentin zu werden. „Lasst uns gemeinsam Geschichte schreiben“, twitterte sie am Morgen.

Italien-Wahl: Rom vor dem Rechtsruck? Melonis Fratelli in Umfragen vorn

Erstmeldung: Rom – Die italienische Politik gilt nicht gerade als beständig. Mehr als 60 mal hat Italien seit Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs ein neues Parlament gewählt. In der 16-jährigen Kanzleramtszeit Angela Merkels wechselte in Rom gleich neunmal der Regierungschef. Silvio Berlusconi, Romano Prodi, Silvio Berlusconi, Mario Monti, Enrico Letta, Matteo Renzi, Paolo Gentiloni, Giuseppe Conte, Mario Draghi. Länger als zwei Jahre hielt nur Berlusconi durch.

Nach der Regierungskrise und chaotischen Machtspielchen um den gescheiterten Ministerpräsidenten Mario Draghi steht Italien nun vor dem nächsten politischen Kurswechsel. Eine vorgezogene Neuwahl steht an. Sie könnte die Verhältnisse in Rom durcheinanderwirbeln. Geht‘s nach rechts?

Italien-Wahl: Rechtsextreme Fratelli vorn - Meloni erste Ministerpräsidentin?

Die letzten Umfragen zur Italien-Wahl am 25. September sehen die post-faschistischen Fratelli d‘Italia klar in Führung. Die „Brüder Italiens“ um Spitzenkandidatin Giorgia Meloni kommen bei den Institute SWG und Ipsos auf 25 bis 27 Prozent. Meloni könnte die erste Ministerpräsidentin des Mittelmeer-Landes werden. Stärkster Konkurrent ist die Partido Democratico (PD), eine Schwesterpartei der SPD, die in Umfragen bei 20,5 Prozent steht. Die Zahlen sind vom 9. September. In den zwei Wochen vor der Wahl dürfen in Italien keine neuen Umfragen mehr veröffentlicht werden.

Die restlichen Parteien scheinen mit dem Wahlsieg nichts zu tun zu haben. Die Regierungspartei Movimente 5 Stelli steht zwischen 12 und 14,5 Prozent, die rechte Lega um den früheren Innenminister Matteo Salvini bei 12 bis 12,5 Prozent. Berlusconis konservative Forza Italia erreicht 6,7 bis 8 Prozent.

Koalitionen nach der Italien-Wahl: Meloni strebt Rechtsbündnis an

Die Wahlergebnisse von Lega und Forza Italia sind auch für Melonis Fratelli d‘Italia relevant. Die Rechtsaußen-Partei plant ein rechtes Dreierbündnis. Eine absolute Mehrheit hat Melonis angepeiltes Rechtsbündnis laut Umfragen bisher nicht. Das ist aber vermutlich auch gar nicht nötig, um eine Regierung anzuführen. Laut italienischem Wahlrecht wird ein Drittel der Sitze per Mehrheitswahlrecht vergeben.

Eine Mitte-Links-Koalition um den PD-Gründer Enrico Letta und kleineren linken und liberalen Parteien verpasst die Mehrheit derzeit deutlich. Sie betonten im Wahlkampf oft, den Kurs des im Juli gestürzten Ministerpräsidenten Mario Draghi fortsetzen zu wollen. Der 75-Jährige hatte nach einem Streit mit der Koalition seinen Rücktritt bekannt gegeben.

Italien-Wahl: EU wegen Rechtsruck „nervös“ - Von der Leyen spricht schon von Konsequenzen

Die Italien-Wahl gilt als richtungsweisend, auch für die Europäische Union. In der EU könnte es allmählich einen Rechtsruck geben. Die EU-kritischen Regierungen aus Polen und Ungarn stehen plötzlich nicht mehr isoliert da. Erst vor zwei Wochen siegten in Schweden die rechten Schwedendemokraten. Mit Melonis Allianz bekäme das rechte Lager auch in Brüssel mehr Gehör. FDP-Außenpolitiker Alexander Graf Lambsdorff zeigte sich im Interview mit Merkur.de von IPPEN.MEDIA bereits „nervös, was den europäischen Zusammenhalt angeht, sollte Frau Meloni Italien regieren“.

EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen kündigte gar schon Konsequenzen an, sollten Italiens Rechtsparteien bei einem Wahlsieg demokratische Grundsätze der EU verletzen. Ob sie Sorgen vor dem Wahlausgang habe, fragte eine Studentin von der Leyen auf einer Universitätsveranstaltung: „Wir werden sehen. Wenn die Dinge in eine schwierige Richtung gehen – ich hatte schon über Ungarn und Polen geredet – dann haben wir Werkzeuge.“ Lega-Chef Salvini bezeichnete die Aussagen als „eine schäbige Drohung“. 

Meanwhile, Meloni was combative.

"Italy is not afraid" and "we are ready" chanted the native Roman at a campaign event in the Italian capital.

Sunday polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

In this news ticker we keep you up to date on all information about the Italian elections.