Italian far-right party leads vote in election

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Italian far-right party leads vote in election

The leader of the Italian far-right party Fratelli d'Italia Brothers of Italy Giorgia Meloni rear center on stage gives a speech on Sept 23, 2022 at Arenile di Bagnoli beachfront location in Naples, southern Italy, during a rally closing her party's campaign for the Sept 25 general election. AndREAS SOLARO AFP ROME Millions of Italians will vote on Sunday in an election that is expected to return the country's most right-wing government since World War II and bring in its first female prime minister.

Italy's first autumn national election in more than a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad national unity government in July.

A right-wing alliance, led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party, appeared on course for a clear victory when the last opinion polls were published two weeks ago.

Meloni would be the obvious candidate for prime minister as leader of an alliance that includes Matteo Salvini's League party and Silvio Berlusconi'sBerlusconi's Forza Italia.

ALSO READ: Meloni and Berlusconi take the stage as Italy's right eyes victory.

That would cap a remarkable rise for Meloni, a 45-year-old from Rome whose party won only 4 percent of the vote in the last national election in 2018.

The exit polls will be released when the balloting ends on Sunday, from 7: 00 am to 11: 00 pm 0500 -- 2100 GMT.

It may be many hours before a precise seat count is available due to the complex calculations required by a hybrid proportional first-past electoral law.

There is still scope for a surprise after a polls blackout in force in the two weeks before the election.

Support for the left-leaning 5 star movement, the biggest party in 2018, has picked up in the past few days, according to speculation.

READ MORE: Meloni: Italy's conservative alliance is ready to govern, ready to govern.

A late surge by 5 Star could damage the rightist alliance's chances of winning a majority in the Senate or upper house, complicating the process of forming a government.

Even if there is a clear cut, the next government is unlikely to take office before October 13 with the new parliament not meeting until October 13.