Close Italian mayoral races

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi casts his vote in Rome's mayoral election

ROME, Italy -- Italians in many major cities and towns are back at the ballot box for the second round of elections to choose their mayors.

Six million Italians are eligible to join the run-off votes in Rome, Naples and Turin and another 74 towns where no candidate won an outright majority on May 13.

The centre-left coalition is seeking consolation after last week's crushing general election defeat with its candidates ahead in the first round of the three key mayoral contests.

But, strengthened by its clear general election victory, the centre-right coalition led by media mogul Silvio Berlusconi says it is sure to win.

All the mayoral races appear close and look set to be decided by a handful of votes. Definitive results are expected on Monday morning.

In Rome, Walter Veltroni, the outgoing leader of the Democrats of the Left (DS), the biggest party in the centre left, finished the first round with 48.3 percent of the vote.

Centre-right rival Antonio Tajani, a journalist and former spokesman of Berlusconi, drew 45.1 percent.

In Naples Rosa Russo Jervolino, a centrist and five-time government minister, took a three percent lead over rival Antonio Martusciello at the end of the first round.

It was even tighter in Turin with Sergio Chiamparino, of the DS, on 44.9 percent and centre-right opponent Roberto Rosso on 44.4 percent.

Twelve other provincial capitals produced a clear result in the first round with seven going to the centre right and five to the centre left.

Milan was easily won by incumbent centre-right mayor Gabriele Albertini with 57.5 percent of the vote.

Other towns back at the polls on Sunday include Belluno, Rovigo and Rimini in the north and Benevento in the south.

Direct mayoral elections only began in Italy in 1993.