Sepcial Report: Italy's general election

Former premier and EU chief Romano Prodi(L) and PM Silvios Berlusconi(R). (File photo)

    ROME, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Italy's opposition leader Romano Prodi on Tuesday claimed victory for his centre-left coalition in a vote for the lower house of parliament.

    "Today, we have turned a page. We will always be united. We will govern for five years," Prodi told his supporters from a stage outside the headquarters of his Union coalition in central Rome.

    The outcome of a Senate race was still uncertain. Nearly complete results released by the Interior Ministry showed that 155 Senate seats went to Berlusconi's coalition, compared to 154 for Prodi's forces. But still to be counted were results for six seats elected by Italians abroad.

    But Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's coalition on Tuesday disputed Romano Prodi's claim to have won Italy's general election.

    Berlusconi's spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti said the centre-right bloc would call for a "scrupulous" check of election ballots. Enditem