Italy's main blocs put forward no candidates at 6th presidential vote

Italy's main centre-right and centre-left blocs will not put forward any candidates at a sixth presidential ballot due to start later on Friday, as the deadlock over a mutually acceptable name persisted. The rightist League and centre-right Forza Italia party said they would both abstain in the parliamentary vote while the centre-left said it would cast blank ballots.

Earlier on Friday, parliament failed for the fifth day running to elect a new head of state, with an attempt by the centre-right to force through its own candidate falling well short.