More than 52% of the electorate have voted in the first day of Italy's two-day election which could see the Conservative Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi ousted in favour of his centre left opponent, Romano Prodi.
Mr Prodi took a narrow opinion poll lead in Italy's first national election campaign in five years.
First results will not be known until later tomorrow when polls close at 3pm. Italian officials said that by 6pm tonight, turnout was 52.1%, compared to 59% at the last parliamentary ballot in 2001.
Support for the prime minister has fallen in the past two years and recent opinion polls suggest he will be defeated in the election.
Mr Berlusconi, a billionaire, has led Italy's longest-serving government since World War II, however, the economy has proven sluggish for much of his tenure.
During his election compaign, Mr Prodi promised to cut taxes if elected.
The campaign was marked by acrimony, with Mr Berlusconi using vulgar language to describe left-wing voters and Mr Prodi likening him to a drunkard.
