Italy will vote on March 4 in an election, which is expected to result in a hung parliament, instability and possible market turbulence in the eurozone’s third largest economy, Reuters said.
Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni’s cabinet determined the voting date after the president dissolved parliament, formally opening an election campaign which actually has been started several weeks ago.
Opinion polls suggest no one will win a parliamentary majority. The prime minister said he would remain in office and ensure continuity until a new administration is established.
Despite the fact that Silvio Berlusconi cannot become prime minister due to tax fraud charges, Forza Italia (Go Italy!), a center-right alliance formed around him has all the chances to take the largest number of seats, which can lead to his coming to the forefront of the country’s political system.
“We must not dramatize the risk of instability, we are quite inoculated against it,” Gentiloni said, adding that adding that in other European countries there has been “an Italianization of political systems”.
Thus, Germany failed to create a new government after inconclusive elections, while Britain is in tangled negotiations over its exit from the European Union.
