Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigns after referendum loss

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigns after referendum loss

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced his resignation in the early hours of 5 December, after a convincing defeat in a referendum over his proposals for constitutional reform. Renzi took responsibility for the defeat and told reporters of his plans to call a cabinet meeting and give his resignation to Italys President Sergio Mattarella. The constitutional reform included cutting down the number of senators and curbing their powers relative to the lower house of parliament. Renzi also sought to reduce the political powers of the regions. Dec 5, 2016