"Italy's centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) on Sunday elected Elly Schlein as the party's ninth leader, replacing Enrico Letta who quit following poor results in last October's general election.
Schlein, who becomes the party's first female leader and at 37 its youngest, saw off the frontrunner Stefano Bonaccini - the president of the northern Emilia-Romagna region - to claim a surprise victory. More than one million people voted in Sunday's leadership race, far fewer than the 3.7 million who voted in 2007 just after the PD was founded, but still more than expected.
Bonaccini, 56, conceded defeat just before midnight, congratulating Schlein - who took around 54 per cent of the vote - and offering his support."
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