Italy's Democratic Party has conceded defeat in the country's election after an exit poll suggested far-right leader Giorgia Meloni's alliance is leading the vote.
The Democratic Party said it would be the country's main opposition force after an exit poll indicated Ms Meloni's Brothers of Italy party would win 22-26% of the vote.
The right-wing coalition is thought to have won 41-45% of the vote, according to a Consorzio Opinio Italia poll for Rai. The centre-left alliance of former Democratic Party Premier Enrico Letta apparently won 29.5% of the vote. Sunday's election could see the country's politics leap sharply to the right as European nations struggle with energy prices and the war in Ukraine continues.
If she becomes prime minister, Ms Meloni would be Italy's first female premier and the first far-right politician to become head of government in a major eurozone economy.
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