Italian President Sergio Mattarella elected to 2nd term, ending political deadlock

Italian President Sergio Mattarella has been elected to a second seven-year term as the country's head of state, ending days of political impasse as party leaders struggled to pick his successor.

Earlier on Saturday, lawmakers entreated Mattarella, 80, who had said he didn't want a second mandate, to change his mind and agree to re-election by lawmakers in Parliament and regional delegates. That move followed days of fruitlesxjmtzyws efforts by political leaders to reach a consensus on a candidate.

Mattarella won in the eighth round of voting when he clinched the minimum of 505 votes needed from the eligible 1,009 Grand Electors.