Italy president asks Matteo Renzi to be next PM
Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano has asked Matteo Renzi, the mayor of Florence, to form a new government.
It follows the resignation on Friday of Prime Minister Enrico Letta after he was ousted in a vote called by Mr Renzi at a meeting of their centre-left Democratic Party.
The party had accused Mr Letta of failing to tackle the ailing economy.
Mr Renzi, who has never been elected as MP, must negotiate a deal with Mr Letta's former coalition partners and could be sworn in on Thursday.
Europe Editor Gavin Hewitt reports.
17 Feb 2014
- From the section Europe