Voters began casting their ballots at 8 a.m. Italian time Sunday, in one of the most suspenseful elections the euro zone has seen in years. The country as a whole is desperate for a leader to help lift it—and the entire euro zone—out of financial crisis. But with names like “comedian” Beppe Grillo on the ballot, many are skeptical about its success. Italy has survived without a democratically elected leader since late 2011, when former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was pressured to resign after a myriad of scandals were exposed.