Italy's Renzi formally steps down, transition cabinet expected

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi formally resigned Wednesday evening but President Sergio Mattarella asked his cabinet stay in office for day-to-day administration before handing over to a transition government.


He formally handed in his resignation to Mattarella after the country's 2017 budget was approved in Senate.

Renzi's resignation came three days after he suffered a sounding defeat in a referendum on a cabinet-backed constitutional reform held on Sunday.

Renzi had already submitted his resignation on Monday, but was asked by the president to remain in office until the budget bill passed, which happened Wednesday afternoon.
[china.org.cn/Xinhua]

8/12/16