Italy's Lombardy, Veneto regions claim wins as hackers hit referenda

Autonomy campaigners in two of Italy's northern regions have claimed victory in referenda hit by hacker attacks that delayed final results.

Voters in the Veneto region that includes Venice and Lombardy, home to Milan, turned out at the high end of expectations to support the principle of more powers being devolved, officials said yesterday.

Turnout was projected at between 57-61 per cent in Veneto, where support for autonomy is stronger, and at around 40 per cent in Lombardy. The presidents of both regions said a majority of voters had, as expected, overwhelmingly backed greater autonomy.