Napolitano elected Italy president-provisional count

ROME, May 10 (Reuters) Giorgio Napolitano has won enough votes to be elected Italy's president, according to a provisional ballot count that was still under way today in parliament.

Lawmakers applauded as the votes for Napolitano, read by the lower house speaker, passed the 505-vote mark, the minimum required for the centre left's candidate, a former communist and World War Two resistance fighter, to be elected head of state.

The counting was continuing and the official final result will be announced later.

REUTERS SY HT1642