- Title: Italy PM designate Gentiloni unveils new government
- Date: 12th December 2016
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 12, 2016) (REUTERS) HONOUR GUARD IN FRONT OF DOOR DOOR OPENING AND ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI EXITING ROOM AND WALKING TO PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI SAYING: "Good evening everyone, I will now present the ministers in the new government." MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI SAYING: "I have done my best to form the new government as quickly as possible, above all adhering to the president's recommendations and also to the interest of the stability of our institutions, which is what the Italian men and women expect from us." GUARDS AT DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI SAYING: "The country has set itself in motion in the past years but we can't ignore the many hardships, especially in the weakest sectors of the middle classes and especially in southern Italy, where the lack of jobs is an emergency, is even more dramatic than in other parts of the country, and this will be a real priority of our efforts in the upcoming months. The vote of confidence we will be asking from both houses of parliament tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, will allow the government to fully represent Italy at the European summit already this Thursday." GUARDS AT DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI SAYING: "Italy is a founder and protagonist of the European Union. In the EU, Italy fights for common policies on migration and for economic policies that are finally oriented towards growth and this will be, for me, a very strong personal commitment in the coming months, just like that of representing Italy in the face of the many international deadlines, which will involve us and in some cases see us as the lead character." GUARDS AT DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE PAOLO GENTILONI SAYING: "I can't hide the political difficulties that arise from the result of the referendum and the government crisis that followed. These are difficulties we must face and this is the challenge of those who aim to serve the country as politicians. The government will get to work immediately with all its strength, focused on the problems of the country and with the optimism that we draw from the great strength of the Italian people." GENTILONI LEAVING
- Embargoed: 27th December 2016 18:45
- Keywords: Italy government ministers Prime Minister Designate Paolo Gentiloni President Sergio Mattarella Quirinale Presidential Palace
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVA0015CKXD1J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Newly appointed Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni unveiled his government on Monday (December 12), keeping almost all the outgoing ministers in place in a sign of continuity aimed at reassuring financial markets.
However, a small centre-right party that had supported the previous premier Matteo Renzi, said it might not back the new government, raising doubts over whether Gentiloni will have the numbers in parliament to form a majority.
In a rapid transfer of power from Renzi, who quit last week after losing a Dec. 4 referendum on constitutional reform, Gentiloni took just a day to put together his team of ministers.
"I have done my best to form the new government as quickly as possible, above all adhering to the president's recommendations and also to the interest of the stability of our institutions, which is what the Italian men and women expect from us," the bespectacled, softly spoken Gentiloni told reporters after presenting his list of ministers to President Sergio Mattarella.
Gentiloni, who was Renzi's foreign minister, said he would follow similar policies to those of his predecessor and urge the European Union to pursue more "growth-oriented" policies.
He also pledged particular attention to the under-developed south of the country which voted overwhelmingly against Renzi in the referendum, naming a minister for the south, a role which did not exist under Renzi.
"The country has set itself in motion in the past years but we can't ignore the many hardships, especially in the weakest sectors of the middle classes and especially in southern Italy, where the lack of jobs is an emergency, is even more dramatic than in other parts of the country, and this will be a real priority of our efforts in the upcoming months. The vote of confidence we will be asking from both houses of parliament tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, will allow the government to fully represent Italy at the European summit already this Thursday," Gentiloni said.
"Italy is a founder and protagonist of the European Union. In the EU, Italy fights for common policies on migration and for economic policies that are finally oriented towards growth and this will be, for me, a very strong personal commitment in the coming months, just like that of representing Italy in the face of the many international deadlines, which will involve us and in some cases see us as the lead character," he added.
Among those reconfirmed in their post was Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan, who is overseeing Treasury efforts to prevent Italy's third largest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, from collapsing under the weight of bad loans.
Many other key ministers, including those overseeing the defence, industry, health and justice portfolios, remained unchanged, with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) maintaining the lions' share of positions.
Gentiloni passed his former job of foreign minister to Angelino Alfano, who was previously interior minister.
The new cabinet will face confidence votes in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday (December 13) and the Senate on Wednesday (December 14) before Gentiloni can formally take office at the head of Italy's 64th government in just 70 years.
However, the vote in the highly fragmented Senate was thrown into doubt when Denis Verdini, head of the small Liberal-Popular Alliance for Autonomies party (ALA), said his group would not back Gentiloni in parliament if it was not sufficiently represented in the new cabinet.
Renzi relied on the support of Verdini, a seasoned parliamentary wheeler-dealer, who used to be the right-hand-man of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
ALA and its sister party Civic Choice, founded by former Prime Minister Mario Monti, have 18 senators. They might deprive Gentiloni of a majority if they all vote against him. If they take no part in the vote, the new government should be able to take office.
Assuming he passes this hurdle, one of Gentiloni's main tasks will be to draw up a new electoral law. If this reform is completed quickly it could open the way to an election in the first half of 2017, a year ahead of schedule.
"I can't hide the political difficulties that arise from the result of the referendum and the government crisis that followed. These are difficulties we must face and this is the challenge of those who aim to serve the country as politicians. The government will get to work immediately with all its strength, focused on the problems of the country and with the optimism that we draw from the great strength of the Italian people," Gentiloni said, before leaving for a swearing-in ceremony.
Italy has different electoral laws for its two chambers and the president has said they need to be harmonised to try to make sure a solid government can emerge from the next ballot.
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement is pushing for a rapid reform and a vote as soon as possible. Renzi also wants an early election, hoping to steam-roller critics within his PD and present himself as the party's prime ministerial candidate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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