Italians cast vote for new parliament

Country tipped to shift to the right and to have its first woman prime minister

Italy was forecast to elect its first far-right female prime minister when voting for the national election in the European Union's third-biggest economy opened on Sunday.

A right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy was on course to win, according to opinion polls before the vote.

The election was being seen as a pivotal moment for Italy and for the EU, as the bloc struggles with soaring inflation, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine rages and a winter energy crisis looms.