Likely 2.9 million Italians voted in Sunday’s PD primaries

(ANSA) – Rome, December 9 – It’s likely that 2.9 million centre-left Italians participated in Sunday’s Democratic Party (PD) primary vote, outgoing party secretary Guglielmo Epifani said Monday.

He spoke at a news conference with winning candidate Matteo Renzi, who won about 70% of ballots to become new PD party secretary.

The strong turnout is a rebuke to the amount of cynicism around politics in Italy, he added.

“We do not have complete data but the final figure will be 2.9 million people, a figure of particular importance in times of disaffection and (attitudes of) anti-politics,” said Epifani, who was immediately replaced by Renzi.