Italy's right-wing led by Giorgia Meloni wins big
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Rome: A coalition led by Giorgia Meloni's arch-conservative Brothers of Italy has won a decisive victory in Italy's snap election, putting it in a position to form the country's first government led by the far-right since the Second World War.
As vote counting concluded in 99 percent of polling stations across the country, nationalist Brothers of Italy was put at 26 percent of the vote, according to data provided by the Interior Ministry on Monday evening.
As such, its leader Giorgia Meloni would most likely become the country's next Prime Minister. If so, she would be the first woman ever to serve in this role, and would lead the most right-wing government in Italy's post-war history, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Brothers of Italy campaigned in coalition with two allies, the League party and the centre-right Forza Italia party, which gained some 8.7 percent and 8.1 percent, respectively. Therefore, their weight in the next government was expected to be less pivotal than that of Meloni's party.
"Italians have entrusted us with a relevant responsibility, and it will be our task to not let them down and to make our best to restore the nation's dignity and pride," Meloni said on her official Facebook page on Monday.
Her main contender, the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) led by Enrico Letta got 19 percent of the votes and conceded defeat.
"We are going to make the necessary assessment in the next days since it is clear mistakes (in their campaign) have been made," Letta said.
Letta also announced that he would lead the party until its next Congress, which will be held "as soon as possible," and step down after a new leader is chosen.
While the right-wing coalition all together gained between 43.7 percent and 44 percent of seats, the centre-left alliance -- made of PD and three minor allies -- won some 26 percent.
This means the next right-wing government will be able to control a broad majority of seats in both Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
The new parliament is scheduled to gather for the first time on October 13, and lawmakers will elect the two Houses' Speakers in the first meeting. After that, political consultations would begin between President Sergio Mattarella and all parties' leaders in order to form the next government.