What is the difference between an exit poll, a projection and the final result?

The exit poll is based on surveys of voters immediately after they cast their ballot and is published the moment polling stations close. A projection extrapolates the votes already counted to the country as a whole and becomes more accurate as counting proceeds. The final official result is only confirmed once every vote has been counted and certified by the electoral authority.

Why doesn't a party's vote share match its share of the seats?

Votes are converted into seats under the rules of the electoral system. Electoral thresholds leave small parties without a mandate, while constituencies, rounding methods or additional seats shift the distribution further. That is why a party with less than half of the votes can end up with more than half of the seats.

Who forms the government after the election?

A government needs a majority of the seats in parliament behind it – either a single party or several together in a coalition. The election only distributes the seats; which alliance emerges from them is negotiated afterwards.

Italy Italy's Parliamentary Election: Results, Seat Distribution, and Coalition Options

Election Winner

Forza Italia

21.0 % of votes

Parties in Parliament

-2 compared to 1992

Voter Turnout

86.1 %

-1.0 percentage points compared to 1992

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Final Official Results of Italy's Parliamentary Election

The bars show each party's vote share, the chips the swing since the previous election. Results of Italy's Parliamentary Election Held on 28 March 1994

21.0

+21.0

PDS

20.4

+4.3

13.5

+13.5

PPI

11.1

+11.1

Lega

8.4

-0.3

PRC

6.1

-0.4

Segni

4.7

+4.7

3.5

+2.3

FdV

2.7

-0.1

PSI

2.2

-11.4

Rete

1.9

±0.0

1.2

+1.2

SVP

0.6

+0.1

< 0.1

-0.1

Other

2.7

Government cannot remain in office

The incumbent governing parties achieved 2.2% of the seats.

Seat Distribution After Italy's Parliamentary Election

Total seats

629

Majority

315

Parties

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Coalition Calculator: Possible Majorities Following Italy's Parliamentary Election

316

0 630

Majority 316

Parties

Select parties to test coalitions.

Scenarios: What if...?

Select all parties near the electoral threshold that should enter parliament. electoral threshold at 3%.

Who Governed Italy After the Election

Election Day 28/03/1994 Government formation 44 days Berlusconi I 11/05/1994 – 18/05/1996 Dini I Caretaker Dini II Caretaker

Berlusconi I

11 May 1994 – 18 May 1996 · 2 years 7 days

360 of 630 seats

All Elections

Every party in detail: votes, gains and losses

Behind each vote share we also show what percentage of all eligible voters backed a party – non-voters included.

Orientation	Party	Votes	Electorate	Seats
Centre-Right	Forza Italia	21.0 % +21.0	18.1 %	132 +132
Left	Partito Democratico della Sinistra	20.4 % +4.3	17.6 %	124 +17
Right	Alleanza Nazionale	13.5 % +13.5	11.6 %	110 +110
Centre-Right	Partito Popolare Italiano	11.1 % +11.1	9.6 %	33 +33
Right	Lega	8.4 % -0.3	7.2 %	118 +63
Far-Left	Partito della Rifondazione Comunista	6.1 % -0.4	5.3 %	38 +18
Centre-Right	Patto Segni	4.7 % +4.7	4.0 %	13 +13
Centre-Left	Lista Pannella	3.5 % +2.3	3.0 %	6 -1
Environment & Climate	Federazione dei Verdi	2.7 % -0.1	2.3 %	11 -5
Left	Partito Socialista Italiano	2.2 % -11.4	1.9 %	14 -78
Left	La Rete	1.9 % ±0.0	1.6 %	8 -4
Centre-Left	Alleanza Democratica	1.2 % +1.2	1.0 %	18 +18
Regional	SVP	0.6 % +0.1	0.5 %	3 ±0
Centre-Right	Union Valdôtaine	< 0.1 % -0.1	< 0.1 %	1 ±0
Unknown	Other Parties	2.7 % -1.0	2.3 %	0 ±0

The Contenders: Parties in Italy's Parliamentary Election

Conservative

Social

Market

Progressive

Your position in comparison

Compare now

Forza Italia Conservative Partito Democratico della Sinistra Left Alleanza Nazionale Conservative Partito Popolare Italiano Christian Democratic Lega Right Populist Partito della Rifondazione Comunista Left Patto Segni Centre-Right Lista Pannella Centre-Left Show all parties

All Parties

How Italy's Parliamentary Election Compares to Past Contests

1994 Voter Turnout 86.1%

21.0 20.4 13.5 11.1 8.4 6.1

1992 Voter Turnout 87.1%

16.1 8.7 6.5

1987 Voter Turnout 88.6%

All Elections

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