Italy President asks PM Renzi to delay resignation for budgetDecember 6, 2016 - 11:24 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi formally resigned after a crushing referendum defeat that has sent shockwaves around Europe -- though his departure will be delayed by a final task, passing a budget, AFP reports. Renzi handed his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella after Italians resoundingly rejected his constitutional reform proposals in Sunday, December 4's referendum, to the delight of the country's populist leaders, fresh after Brexit and Donald Trump's US victory. The departure of the centre-left premier -- who had staked his future on the outcome of the vote -- plunges Italy into political uncertainty and casts a shadow over the future of the eurozone's third-largest economy. In an apparent bid to ease investor fears, the presidency said in a statement that Mattarella had "asked the prime minister to postpone his resignation" until the 2017 budget has been passed, a move expected by the end of the week, according to Italian media. The government has already won a vote of confidence on the budget in the lower house of parliament. Renzi, who in 2014 became Italy's youngest-ever premier, was left with no option but to quit after his proposals to streamline parliament were rejected by voters by a decisive 59-41 percent margin. The 41-year-old former mayor of Florence, who came to power promising radical reform, defended his record. "1,000 difficult but wonderful days. Thanks to everyone. Viva l'Italia," he wrote on Facebook. Italian media said he told his cabinet he had agreed to see the budget passed before his departure "out of a sense of responsibility." Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Police try to impede Armenian Church head’s access to war memorial Police tried to stop the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II, from visiting a war memorial. Greece says ready to help as Armenia fights flooding consequences Greece is ready to assist Armenia in combatting the consequences of deadly floods in the country’s north. “He will leave”: Protest leader no longer demands meeting with Pashinyan Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan no longer demands a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. |