Italy's centre-left vote goes to run-off Primary elections to choose a leader to take Italy's centre-left into national polls next year have produced no outright winner, with Pier Luigi Bersani, head of the Democratic party, seen heading into a second round run-off against Matteo Renzi, the reformist mayor of Florence. A larger than expected turnout of more than 3m voters was reported on Sunday. Some polling stations stayed open to cope with long queues caused by a lengthy registration process that allowed all Italians to take part by pledging allegiance to the centre-left and paying €2 each. With results in from about 90 per cent of over 9,200 polling stations on Monday morning, Mr Bersani was leading with 44.9 per cent, followed by Mr Renzi on 35.5 per cent and Nichi Vendola, leftist governor of the region of Puglia, third with 15.6 per cent. Two other candidates polled less than 3 per cent each. A run-off is to be held next Sunday if no candidate polls more than 50 per cent. The final official result is expected to be announced on Monday evening. The relatively high turnout was seen as a boost for the Democrats ahead of general elections expected to be held next March as the mandate of Mario Monti's technocrat government draws to a close. Opinion polls point to the Democrats winning next year but possibly without a majority of seats in parliament - although this depends on the outcome of lengthy and tense negotiations between the main parties over a new electoral law. Mr Renzi, 37, fought a strong campaign across Italy, presenting himself as the pro-reform leader of a new generation driving change against the "dinosaurs" dominating the Democratic party. Both he and Mr Bersani, who tacked to the left to prevent a loss of votes to Mr Vendola, ruled out ceding the position of prime minister to Mr Monti in the event of a coalition government. Mr Monti, whose austerity policies have been better received abroad than in recession-hit Italy, has said he is open to serving again if needed. Support from the more leftist supporters of Mr Vendola will be crucial for Mr Bersani, a former communist, to avoid an upset defeat by Mr Renzi. Should Mr Bersani emerge as the eventual winner then his main challenge will be to hold the party together and avoid an exodus of pro-Renzi supporters who could be inclined in next year's elections to join centrist parties backing a second term for Mr Monti. In contrast to the decorum and open debate that characterised the centre-left primaries, Italy's main centre-right party led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is in total disarray, trailing in third place in the polls behind the anti-establishment Five Star Movement of Beppe Grillo, a political activist and comedian. A decision taken by the centre-right People of Liberty (PDL) to hold its own primary on December 16 has been thrown into doubt by reports that Mr Berlusconi will try to stage a comeback, despite announcing last month that he would not run as prime minister again. Angelino Alfano, former justice minister and PDL secretary who was seen as his mentor's likely successor, said at the weekend that the party would review its options if Mr Berlusconi confirmed this week his intention to stand again, despite his conviction for tax fraud last month and a separate trial on charges of paying for a juvenile prostitute. Mr Berlusconi, who has made it known that he is not enthusiastic about his own party's plans to hold primaries, came close to endorsing Mr Renzi on Monday morning when calling into a breakfast show on one of his television channels. We are looking very closely at what is going on with the other side. With Renzi, Italy could have a social democratic party that does not follow the communist ideology," Mr Berlusconi said. He declined to predict a winner but added: "We are all curious to see what will happen."