Polls opened in Italy on Sunday in an election that is forecast to return the country's most right-wing government since World War Two and also herald its first woman prime minister.
Voting began at 7 AM and will continue until 11 PM when exit polls will be published.
A right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party appeared on course for a clear victory when the last opinion polls were published two weeks ago.
But with a polls blackout in force in the two weeks before the election, there is still scope for a surprise.