Italy's Parliament began casting votes Thursday for a new president to take the place of the incumbent Giorgio Napolitano, whose term expires on May 15,2013
Usually the senators vote first, then the deputies, then the regional delegates. They can vote for any citizen over 50 with full civil and political rights.According to the Italian Constitution, a two-thirds majority of the electors is needed in the first three rounds of voting. From the fourth session onward, the bar is lowered to an absolute majority, equal to 504 votes.
The election of a new
president could be the first step toward solving a political impasse
that has gripped Italy since February 2013 general election left a
three-way split between the right, the left and a wild-card party.
The presidential voting process is open to 1,007 elected
representatives: the 630 deputies in the lower house, 315 senators plus
four senators-for-life, and 58 regional delegates.
The secret ballot is taking place inside the Chamber of Deputies, or lower house of Parliament.
After counting for the first round wrapped up, Former Trade Union Leader
Franco Marini was in the lead with 521 votes but short of the
two-thirds majority, or 672 votes, needed to win the presidency.
The center-left coalition led by politician Pier Luigi Bersani and the center-right coalition of former PM Silvio Berlusconi appeared to be coming together to back Franco Marini
In second place was Stefano Rodota, a former Italian Communist Party lawmaker and law professor, with 240 votes.
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