ROME: Italian centre-left leader Matteo Renzi said yesterday he would begin talks to form a new government within 24 hours, and expected to lay out a programme of reforms to be completed over the next few months. Renzi needs to seal a formal coalition deal with the small centre-right NCD party to secure a majority and to name his cabinet before seeking a formal vote of confidence in parliament, probably later this week.
He has promised a programme to lift Italy out of its most serious economic slump since World War Two, but will have to deal with the same unwieldy coalition which failed to pass major reforms under its previous leader. REUTERS
