ROME (Reuters) - Polling stations opened for the first day of voting on Sunday in an election to choose a successor to the technocrat government of Mario Monti, appointed just over a year ago to save Italy from financial crisis.

Voting began at 8 a.m. and will go on to 10 p.m. (2100 GMT)Polls will re-open on Monday at 7 a.m. and remain open until 3 p.m. (1400 GMT), with the first exit polls for both the lower house and Senate expected soon afterwards.

Outgoing Prime minister Mario Monti speaks during a rally in Florence, February 22, 2013. Italians vote on Sunday and Monday for a successor to Mario Monti's technocrat government whose austerity policies saved Italy from a Greek-style debt crisis but did nothing to pull it out of deep recession.REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini

The election, in the middle of a deep recession, is being closely watched by financial markets amid concern that it may fail to produce a clear winner capable of continuing the broad course of budget discipline and economic reform begun by Monti and backed by Italy's European partners.

The last opinion polls published before a pre-election blackout two weeks ago put a centre-left coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani in the lead although former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had been closing the gap.

Uncertainty over the result has been increased by a surge in support for the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comedian Beppe Grillo who has ridden a wave of public anger against corruption and privilege in Italy's political elite.

(Reporting by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Alison Williams)

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