Tour Leffre

THERE was a high turnout on a sunny Palm Sunday, the first of two days of voting, with most commentators predicting a narrow win for Romano Prodi.

“I slept very well, the sun is shining and I hope everything finishes in the best possible way,” said Signor Prodi — known as “the Professor” — as he voted in Bologna, his home town.

Silvio Berlusconi was rebuked by centre-left observers at the polling station for instructing his mother, who had accompanied him to the polling station, to put her cross on the symbol of Forza Italia, his party. “Prime Minister, you cannot do that,” one said. “What, not even with my own mother?” he replied.

Yesterday the Left accused a “desperate” Signor Berlusconi of violating the pre-vote moratorium on campaigning by instructing his Forza Italia party to send “thousands” of electioneering text messages to voters on both days of the weekend. The official election monitoring body said that it was investigating the charge, as well as Signor Berlusconi’s unscheduled and unopposed appearance on Friday night on one of his own television channels in violation of “equal air time” rules. It was also looking into adverts in a newspaper praising Signor Berlusconi’s record as chairman of AC Milan football club.