Prime Minister Renzi votes in Italian referendum on constitutional reform

Record ID: 75572

  • Title: Prime Minister Renzi votes in Italian referendum on constitutional reform
  • Date: 4th December 2016
  • Summary: FLORENCE, ITALY (DECEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ITALIANS VOTING IN POLLING STATION PRIME MINISTER MATTEO RENZI ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION WITH HIS WIFE AGNESE LANDINI AND CHATTING WITH SUPPORTERS LANDINI AND RENZI WAITING TO VOTE RENZI COLLECTING BALLOT PAPER AND WALKING TO VOTING BOOTH CAMERAMEN FILMING IN POLLING STATION RENZI AND LANDINI EXITING VOTING BOOTH AND POSING IN FRONT OF BALLOT BOX, LANDINI DROPS BALLOT PAPER IN BOX/RENZI DROPS BALLOT PAPER, GREETS SUPPORTERS AND EXITS POLLING STATION
  • Embargoed: 19th December 2016 10:19
  • Keywords: Italy Referendum Constitution Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Agnese Landini Florence
  • Location: FLORENCE, ITALY
  • City: FLORENCE, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015BGVGAV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:**EDITOR'S PLEASE NOTE EDIT IS LIVE-U QUALITY
    BROADCAST QUALITY EDIT WILL FOLLOW EDIT NUMBER 7102**
    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi voted on Sunday (December 4) in a constitutional referendum which will decide his political future.
    Renzi voted at a polling station in his hometown of Pontassieve on the outskirts of Florence together with his wife Agnese Landini.
    The prime minister has promised to resign if Italians reject his plan to drastically reduce the role of the upper house Senate and claw back powers from regional authorities.
    With all the opposition parties lined up against the reform, a victory for Renzi would be a surprise and represent an enormous personal triumph for Italy's youngest prime minister who often appeared to be fighting the campaign single-handed. The opposition says the reform will reduce vital democratic checks and balances.
    Financial markets and Europe's politicians fear victory for the opposition 'No' camp could trigger political instability and renewed turmoil for Italy's battered banks, pushing the euro zone towards a fresh crisis.
    Almost all opinion polls over the past two months have suggested that Renzi will be defeated.
    However, in the final days of frenetic campaigning Renzi insisted the public mood was changing, focusing his attention on the millions of Italians who said they were undecided.
    Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) and are set to close at 11 p.m. (2200 GMT). Some 51 million Italians are eligible to vote and full results are expected in the early hours of Monday (December 5).
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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