Democrats Lead in Italian Election

Italy’s Democratic Party is in the lead, according to the latest Election Day polls. The booths are now closed, after two days of voting, and the center-left Democrats look poised to carry 35 percent of the vote. Silvio Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom Party, on the other hand, will likely win 29 percent. While the Democrats’ lead confirms long-held predictions, it’s unclear whether they can garner enough support from both houses of Parliament to guide Italy’s economy to a successful future. Official results of the election—considered one of the most important in the country’s recent history—will be coming in over the next few hours.