Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stated that he will hand in his resignation after losing a referendum on constitutional reform. Renzi had connected his political fate to the referendum, which would cut back the number of seats in the Italian Senate from 350 to 100 and remove power from the regions to the central government.
This morning at 00:30 Renzi spoke from Palazzo Chigi stating “the experience of my government ends here.” Remzi lost the vote with about 40–60%, with a large turnout of nearly 70% of the population.
The loss of Renzi is considered a win of the anti-EU forces in Italy, and the second referendum this year in which a country takes position against the EU project, following UK’s Brexit.
It is not clear yet whether there will be new elections in Italy or whether President Sergio Matarella will install a new prime minister until the 2018 elections.
