Italian PM Enrico Letta to resign

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: Guardian

Italy's prime minister, Enrico Letta, will step down on Friday after the leadership of his centre-left party deserted him for Matteo Renzi – a telegenic and smooth-talking rival who cites Tony Blair as a role model and now looks likely to become the country's youngest premier in modern history.

At the conclusion of a power struggle between the two Democratic party (PD) heavyweights, Letta issued a statement on Thursday night saying he would tender his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano on Friday at the Quirinale palace.

Minutes before, the PD's national committee had voted by 136 votes to 16, with two abstentions, to back a motion put forward by Renzi, the party leader and mayor of Florence, calling for a new government capable of opening "a new phase" of reform and pulling the eurozone's third-largest economy "out of the quagmire".

While it did not directly refer to Renzi, there was no doubt who the party would be backing as Letta's successor. Although the outcome is not certain, Renzi, aged just 39, is now expected to be asked by 88-year-old Napolitano to form a new government without Italy returning to the polls for the second time in as many years.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/italian-pm-enrico-letta-to-resign

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Uggh. Blair is no role model.

[shenmue]

1. Sigh

It's been ages since Italy had a good government.

[geek tragedy]

2. Trajan, I believe. nt

[malthaussen]

3. Bring back Berlusconi!!!

At least Tony Blair is not his role model.

-- Mal

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Oh no?

In a letter published in an Italian newspaper, Silvio Berlusconi threw his less than colossal moral authority behind his old friend's candidacy. The man who promised to put Britain "at the heart of Europe", but chose to stay out of the euro and maintain border controls, had "all his papers in order to become the first president of the European council [of ministers] under the terms of the Lisbon treaty", the Italian prime minister declared.

Signalling what could prove a fatal blow to the Blair cause, Berlusconi, whose own incursions into Europe have included comparing a German MEP to a Nazi concentration camp guard, vowed: "I and my government will make every effort to ensure that a great political heritage is not wasted." Congratulating the editor of the centre-right daily Il Foglio on an editorial supporting Blair, he listed his qualities as "courage, steadiness [and] prudence, always exercised without indecision".

Like all great political friendships, the one between Blair and Berlusconi was troubled by the odd frisson. But Italian and British officials alike will attest that the rapport between them was real. Someone present at one of their convivial encounters told the Guardian that Berlusconi had been quite unable to contain his admiration for the British leader.

"You know, Tony?" he blurted out. "If you were a woman, I'd ask you to marry me." According to the source, Blair replied: "You know, Silvio? If you were as rich as you are, I think I'd accept."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/oct/14/silvio-berlusconi-backs-tony-blair

[malthaussen]

5. I'm glad I swallowed my coffee *before* I read that.

Love Blair's response, though. Tells you all you need to know.

-- Mal