Democratic Party leader Matteo Renzi formed Italy's new government today and said his broad coalition is aiming to give the economically-stagnant country some "hope."
At 39, Renzi will become Italy's youngest premier when he and his Cabinet are sworn in on Saturday. He will also be the third straight premier to come into the office without being elected. The last premier who stood for election was the scandal-tainted Silvio Berlusconi in 2008.
Renzi had been serving as Florence mayor when he engineered a power grab last week to effectively force fellow Democrat Enrico Letta to reluctantly relinquish the premiership after 10 months at the helm of a fragile, often-squabbling coalition.
Renzi is depending on the same coalition partners. As well as his centre-left Democratic Party, which will remain the biggest party, his government is being propped up by two smaller groupings, supporters of former premier Mario Monti and former loyalists of centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi.
Renzi told reporters at the presidential palace that he's aiming to give a "strong message" to the international community that his government will enact electoral and economic reforms quickly.
President Giorgio Napolitano urged the new government to swiftly enact the reforms crucially needed to make Italy competitive. "
"We cannot afford the luxury of losing this occasion," Napolitano said.
Renzi said he intended to keep his government alive for four years, until the full term of Parliament expires in 2018. However, with the same government partners and Berlusconi eager to have his conservative Forza Italia party return to power, many observers are sceptical Renzi's government can go the distance.
