ROME, April 20 (RIA Novosti) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was elected for a second term on Saturday.
Napolitano, 87, who was due to step down on May 15, agreed to stand again when parliament failed to elect a successor after five previous ballots.
He surpassed the simple majority required to be elected.
Napolitano won the votes of 738 of the 1,007 so-called 'grand electors', the Ansa news agency reported.
Official results will be announced later.
Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi thanked Napolitano for his "spirit of sacrifice" and "personal generosity" for agreeing to serve a second term as Italy's head of state "in such a difficult, uncertain situation", according to Ansa.
Napolitano will be sworn in on Monday, TMNews said.
(Updates with preliminary results, Berlusconi comments)
