Polls will close today at 3 pm, but the outcome won????????t be announced almost certainly until tomorrow morning (Italian local time). Acording to many analysts, a high turnout might mean the victory of Berlusconi.

The analysts are saying that if turnout reaches at least 82%, Berlusconi has a big chance to be the winner. Yesterday at 10 pm the turnout was 66.7%. So, today it is possible to have a turnout at 17% and the total (66.7 + 17 ) will be more than 80 %. Polls bet in such a chance.

Let????????s keep fingers crossed! I voted Berlusconi even though I am not a fan of him. I did it out of disgust for the Left. It seems that the undecided (I was one of them) decided to go to the polls because much is at stake. Prodi is unfit to lead. And the Italians might – I repeat: might – have realized that.

Let????????s be cautious and realists. Time of celebrate has not come and it might be counter-productive

Meanwhile, keep an eye on Pajamas Media.

UPDATE: First Bad news for Berlusconi: according to the first exit poll, Prodi’s center-left leads 54 – 49 over Berlusconi’s center-right at the Chamber of Representatives. At the Senate, the situation is the same.

But, notice that this is the first of many exit polls. Much can change.

UPDATE (7:55 am Pacific): Prodi leads 54-49 at the Chamber of representatives and so does at the Senate, where he now leads 70-50 .

Exit polls might be wrong – just look at the U.S. election in 2004. But I don????????t think that Berlusconi has a real chance to win. I hope to be wrong, however. I????????ll wait for tomorrow morning before posting my analysis on the future of my country – which I see very dark.

UPDATE: Some good news: while exit polls had some important regions, such as Puglia and Lombardy, with Prodi leading, now the Interior Ministry has just published the first results: Berlusconi’s CDL leads 56,1- 43,4 in Lombardy in the run for Senate. It leads 51,1- 48,8 in Puglia for Senate as well.

Overall, Prodi is 50 % circa and Berlusconi 48,1 % so far. At the Senate, the center-right has 151 seats so far and the center-left 158. It’s getting closer!!

It needs to be reminded that the votes of the Italian expatriates have not yet been counted. According to exit polls, they voted for Berlusconi’s CDL both at Senate and Chamber.

So, I dare to imagine that this can be good news for the center-right, given that it’s getting closer.

I’ll let you know as soon as I know more!

UPDATE: The Interior Ministry informs that now Prodi’s “Union” leads only 50-49 . The votes of the Italian expatriates are being counted and will be added. It looks a lot better now for the center-right.
Berlusconi’s Forza Italia is the first Italian political party. It got more votes than each of the other parties.