Rome -
Lawmakers cast ballots on Thursday for a new Italian president in a vote testing Premier Matteo Renzi's ability to rally his divided party behind his reform agenda and a single candidate.
No winner is expected on Thursday: Polling is expected to last at least until Friday or Saturday since the threshold slips from a two-thirds majority to a simple majority after three rounds of voting.
The Italian president is a largely ceremonial figure with no political role, but he has powers to dissolve Parliament, call new elections and tap a candidate to form a new government, thus playing a crucial role in resolving Italy's not-infrequent political crises.
Two years ago, President Giorgio Napolitano reluctantly accepted an unprecedented second term after lawmakers couldn't agree on a successor. - Sapa-AP