Italy Votes in 2-Day Local Elections

Italians go to the polls on Sunday and Monday to vote in local elections.

The local elections affect 565 local authorities, according to reports of the BBC News.

The polls close at 3pm local time on Monday, the second day of voting.

Second-round run-off votes have been scheduled for June 9-10.

In Rome, incumbent rightwing mayor Gianni Alemanno, backed by  ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PfL) party, faces leftist challenger Ignazio Marino, a former surgeon.

The third major candidate for the position of  Mayor of Rome is Marcello De Vito of Beppe Grillo's anti-establishment Five Star Movement.