Italian election 2018: Supporting crowd surrounds Eurosceptic frontrunner and M5S leader
EUROSCEPTIC frontrunner Luigi di Maio met a large crowd chanting its support for the young candidate as he left the polling station in Pomigliano after casting his vote.
Crowds surround Luigi Di Maio after his election vote
A crowd of supporters escorted the Italian election 2018 frontrunner and Five Star Movement (M5S) through his assigned polling station in Pomigliano, near Naples.
Footage from the scene shows Mr di Maio struggling to walk through as people crowded him to express their support.
People can be heard hailing the young candidate as they applaud him, saying: "Mr President! Mr President!"
Mr di Maio can be seen being helped by the local Carabinieri as he thanks his supporters for showing up.
Italian election 2018: Luigi di Maio struggled to leave the polling station
Talking to national newspaper La Repubblica, the young 5 Star Movement (M5S) leader said: "It's always great being here.
"There are people who have fought for five tears to change things, who went through a long battle with us."
The 31-year-old M5S leader hopes to soon walk into the Italian Parliament as the youngest prime minister in Italian history.
The bold young politician believes his party is the one-solution answer to Italy’s deepening economic recession and migrant crisis.
Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni casts vote in national election
It's always great being here
The M5S has been particularly successful at tapping into the disaffection in the underdeveloped south and has promised a monthly universal wage of up to 780 euros ($960) for the poor.
Italy’s 18th general election since 1948 takes place on Sunday, March 4, less than three months after President Sergio Matarella dissolved Parliament on December 28.
Today, Italians will head to the polls to cast their ballots for the 945 member Parliament, between 7am and 11pm local time (6am and 10pm GMT).
The electoral system used in Italy is brand new, so it is hard to predict the outcome of this general election.
It is a “mixed” system - part “first-past-the-post” and part proportional representation or PR.According to exit polls made available following poll closure at 11 pm (10 pm GMT) put the 5 Star Movement (M5S) between 29 and 32 percent, followed by the Democratic Party between 20.5 and 23.5 percent. Forza Italia and Lega are forecasted to get between 12.5 and 15.5 percent.
The earliest exit polls have a margin of error of around 4 percent. Final results will not be available until earlier on