I’ve voted. Honestly, I haven’t waited so long before casting my vote. At 2:15 p.m. (local time) there were very few people that you could count them on your hand’s fingers. The Interior Ministry – which updates the percentage of voters on a hourly base – informs that at 12 p.m. the percentage of people who went to the polls is: 17,7% . On 2001, it was 21,6% . What does this mean? It might be that people will go to the polls later or tomorrow. Of course, what is quite clear is that there’s a strong feeling of disillusion among Italian toward both the coalitions . Overall, disillusion is directed toward the Italian political class at whole. Among the undecided, many say they are disappointed with Berlusconi’s poor performance, but they don’t think Prodi is capable to ‘save’ the country either.

However, it’s noteworthy that in 2001 people could vote only on Sunday. Now they’ve two days at their disposal.

To further comments, I should wait until tonight. Polls will close tomorrow, Monday 10, at 3 p.m. (Italy local time). But tonight I think I can say more.

Stay tuned, I’ll be updating both here and at Pajamas Media.

UPDATE: The Interior Ministry at 7 p.m. in Italy says voter turnout is between 49% and 50.2%. This proves what I????????ve been saying in my previous posts, that people are going to the polls right now, and of course not at lunch time. The percentage was unexpected. This might mean that either people prefer to vote today over tomorrow (that is a working day), or the undecided went to vote. And that could be a good news for Berlusconi, but could be for Prodi as well!

Next update will be at 10 p.m. ( remember: I????????m referring to Italy local time), when the polls will close for the pause until tomorrow at 7 a.m., when they????????ll reopen to close once for all at 3 p.m.

So, stay tuned. I????????ll update at 10 p.m., unless there????????s some important development I need to post about.

UPDATE: Polls closed at 10 p.m. The Interior Ministry informs us that the voter turnout at this time is 67.6%. I think that we can start saying that such high turnout was unexpected, above all among the leftists.

The leftists thought that a low turnout would mean that those disappointed and undecided would stay home ???????? possibly granting an easy victory to Prodi????????s center-left.

I noticed a strange feeling of optimism among the right-wing bloggers and analysts. It????????s not yet appropriate to celebrate. However, let me say that such a turnout might be good news for Berlusconi. But please, let????????s be realist. I????????ll keep you posted.