Italy's Berlusconi could win election - Pollster

Rome, Apr 11: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi could win Italy's general election by retaining control of both houses of parliament, Nexus pollsters said today.

Nexus said its projection based on 44 percent of the vote gave Berlusconi's centre-right alliance a wafer-thin 49.9 percent to 49.6 percent edge over challenger Romano Prodi in the lower house.

It was the first computer projection to forecast a Berlusconi win in the 630-seat lower house.

Nexus said with 95 percent of the vote in the Senate counted, Berlusconi was projected to take 158 seats to the centre-left's 151.

Initial exit polls had indicated that Prodi had won a majority in both houses of parliament. A government needs to control both chambers to take office and pass laws.

REUTERS