- Title: Former Prime Minister Berlusconi votes in Italian referendum
- Date: 4th December 2016
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CENTRE-RIGHT LEADER SILVIO BERLUSCONI SURROUNDED BY SECURITY GUARDS ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION ACCOMPANIED BY HIS GIRLFRIEND, FRANCESCA PASCALE BERLUSCONI AND PASCALE ENTERING POLLING STATION/BERLUSCONI GREETING STAFF BERLUSCONI COLLECTS BALLOT PAPER AND WALKS TOWARD VOTING BOOTH BERLUSCONI EXITS VOTING BOOTH AND POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS HOLDING BALLOT PAPER ABOVE BALLOT BOX/FRANCESCA PASCALE IN BACKGROUND/BERLUSCONI DROPS BALLOT PAPER IN BOX BERLUSCONI EXITING POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF BERLUSCONI WALKING PAST MEDIA SURROUNDED BY SECURITY GUARDS/BERLUSCONI ENTERING CAR
- Embargoed: 19th December 2016 10:44
- Keywords: Italy referendum Silvio Berlusconi voting constitutional reforms
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BGVHVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi voted on Sunday (December 4) in a referendum on constitutional reform which will decide the political future of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who has promised to resign if he loses.
Accompanied by his girlfriend Francesca Pascale, Berlusconi arrived at a polling station in the centre of Rome, surrounded by security guards.
He left Italy's political limelight after heart surgery, but then returned to the fray trying to defeat Renzi's planned constitutional reform.
Berlusconi, who had an aortic valve replaced in June this year after what his doctors said was a life-threatening cardiac disorder, headed four Italian governments between 1994 and 2011.
He has lost much of his political clout since being barred from office following a 2013 conviction for tax fraud, but his Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party is still backed by around 12 percent of Italians, according to opinion polls.
The result of exit polls will be announced as soon as voting ends and the count begins at 11 p.m. (2200 GMT). After around 30 minutes, the first projections of the result will be announced on the basis of actual votes counted. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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