Italian election in balance as overseas votes counted

Italy’s parliamentary election hung in the balance today as the country counted ballots cast for six new senate seats by Italians living abroad.

Near-final returns showed opposition leader Romano Prodi’s centre-left coalition winning the lower house, while conservatives led by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi held a one-seat lead in the senate, with results for six seats elected by Italians abroad still yet to be counted.