Voting starts in Italian election

Italians are going to the polls in a general election that could bring conservative billionaire Silvio Berlusconi back to power.

Voting across Italy lasts until 10pm (8pm Irish time) tonight and resumes tomorrow until early afternoon. Exit polls are expected at the close of the polls.

Many Italians have felt a sense of disillusionment over a failure to solve the nation’s problems. The election is being held under a discredited election law seen as fostering government instability.

The main opponent of 71-year-old Mr Berlusconi is Walter Veltroni of the centre-left Democratic Party. The 52-year-old Mr Veltroni is a former Rome mayor.