ITALY: POLLS HAVE OPENED IN ITALY AS EUROPEAN ELECTIONS GET UNDERWAY TO ELECT NEW PARLIAMENTARIANS

Record ID: 604426

  • Title: ITALY: POLLS HAVE OPENED IN ITALY AS EUROPEAN ELECTIONS GET UNDERWAY TO ELECT NEW PARLIAMENTARIANS
  • Date: 12th June 2004
  • Summary: (EU) ROME, ITALY (JUNE 12, 2004) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. PAN EXTERIOR OF POLLING STATION 0.05 2. CU OF SIGN SAYING ELECTORAL SECTIONS 0.09 3. SLV PEOPLE OUTSIDE POLLING STATION 0.13 4. SLV PEOPLE QUEUING TO GET IN 0.17 5. CU PERSON HOLDING ELECTORAL CARD 0.19 6. CU PEOPLE TALKING 0.24 7. SLV OF PEOPLE ENTERING POLLING STATION (2 SHOTS) 0.36 8. CU OF COMMUNIST PARTY SYMBOL 0.40 9. CU FORZA ITALIA SYMBOL 0.44 10. SV/CU MAN TAKING BALLOT PAPER AND VOTING (3 SHOTS) 1.03 11. CU BALLOT BOX 1.06 12. SV MAN PUTTING BALLOT PAPER IN BALLOT BOX 1.13 13. MCU (Italian) MAN, FRANCO MARTINI, SAYING: "I expect that this government packs up and goes home. I hope there is a crisis in the government, because we can't go on like this any longer." 1.28 14. CU PERSON PUTTING BALLOT PAPER IN BALLOT BOX 1.35 15. SLV PEOPLE INSIDE POLLING STATION 1.38 16. SV POSTER SHOWING POLITICAL PARTIES/CANDIDATES PARTICIPATING IN ELECTION 1.44 17. MCU (Italian) SCRUTINEER, ANNA, SAYING: "I expect this election will be a reconfirmation of this government." 1.49 18. CU MOBILE PHONE SHOWING SMS MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE SAYING 'ELECTIONS 2004. VOTING ON SATURDAY 12 FROM 1500 TO 2200 AND ON SUNDAY 13 FROM 0700 TO 2200. BRING IDENTIFICATION. THE PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE'. 1.59 19. MCU (Italian) MAN, ADRIANO, SAYING: "I found the message annoying and useless - I can't understand how the phone companies can give their consent to give out numbers." 2.08 20. SLV PEOPLE ENTERING POLLING STATION 2.11 21. MCU (Italian) MAN, GIANNI, SAYING: "Honestly speaking, it appears to me to be a legitimate way to inform people." 2.19 22. CU/SLV OF MAN HOLDING BALLOT PAPER AND WALKING TO BOOTH (2 SHOTS) 2.32 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th June 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA6IHY4JEVQ2OXVBWLS5HK6QZV5
  • Story Text: Polls have opened in Italy as European elections get
    underway to elect new parliamentarians.



    Italians began voting on Saturday afternoon (June
    12) ahead of most European countries.

    People began queuing outside a polling station in
    central Rome ahead of the 3 p.m. (1300 gmt) opening time as
    media speculated that balmy weather would tempt Italy's 50
    million voters away from the cities and lead to a low
    turnout.

    By Sunday night, some 350 million Europeans from Lisbon
    to Latvia will have had the chance to vote for the expanded
    732-member European Parliament based in Strasbourg.

    The European parliamentary election is seen as a
    mid-term test for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's
    centre-right government, with the leftist opposition hoping
    anger over his support for U.S. policy in Iraq will lead to
    a protest vote.

    "I expect that this government packs up and goes home.

    I hope there is a crisis in the government, because we
    can't go on like this any longer," said voter, Franco
    Martini, sitting on the steps of the polling station.

    Italians are voting on Saturday and Sunday for European
    parliamentarians as well as for some local administrative offices.

    "I expect this election will be a reconfirmation of
    this government," said scrutineer Anna.

    By the time polls opened on Saturday, all 30 million of
    Italy's cell phone owners should have received a text
    message from the Prime Ministers office reading: 'Elections
    2004. Voting on Saturday 12 from 1500 to 2200 and on Sunday
    13 from 0700 to 2200. Bring identification. The prime
    ministers office.'
    What seemed like a helpful message has instead
    whipped up a fury, with critics of the prime minister,
    including opposition politicians and consumer groups, not
    happy about the reminder, the first of its kind in any
    Italian election.

    But, Italian voters appeared divided on the issue.

    "I found the message annoying and useless - I can't
    understand how the phone companies can give their consent
    to give out numbers," said voter, Adriano.

    "Honestly speaking, it appears to me to be a legitimate
    way to inform people," said another voter, Gianni, before
    entering the polling station to vote.

    The furore is just the latest in a battery of
    accusations over the massive use of media in the run-up to
    the Italian polls that are expected to be a close call for
    the centre-right coalition and its media guru leader.

    Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland have already
    voted. The rest of the 25 countries will vote on Sunday
    after which results will trickle-in to show who will take
    up the 732 seats in the Strasbourg-based legislature.



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