Italy's right-wing parties seen winning power

A right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party looks set to win a majority in the next parliament, exit polls said on Sunday after voting ended in an Italian national election.

An exit poll for state broadcaster RAI said the bloc of conservative parties, that also includes Matteo Salvini's League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, won between 41 and 45%, enough to guarantee control of both houses of parliament.

Italy's electoral law favours groups that manage to create pre-ballot pacts, giving them an outsized number of seats by comparison with their vote tally. Full results are expected by early Monday.

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella dissolved Parliament in July and called for an early election on Sept. 25, marking the end of the government led by Prime Minister Mario Draghi, which lasted about a year and a half.

Nearly 51 million people are eligible to vote in what could be a pivotal election, with over 4 million Italians living abroad having cast their ballots before Sunday.

Some 51% of the voters in Italy are women, among a total population of 59 million.

Voters 18 and older will also be able to elect members of Parliament's upper chamber, a first in Italian history made possible following the endorsement of Italy's Senate. They could already vote for the lower house of parliament.

Voting started nationwide at 7 a.m. local time (0500GMT).

Italians will elect 200 senators and 400 deputies in Parliament.