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Italy senate to vote on budget Wednesday

By AFP
06 December 2016   |   5:45 pm
Italy's senate will vote on the 2017 budget on Wednesday, checking off the last task for outgoing Prime Minister Matteo Renzi before he officially resigns, the upper house of parliament said Tuesday.
talian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi addresses supporters during a "Basta un Si" rally calling for a "Yes" vote to the upcoming constitutional reform referendum at the Fuksas' Cloud Convention Centre in central Rome on November 26, 2016. Italy will hold a referendum on constitutional reform on December 4 in which Renzi has staked his political future on winning approval of a move to streamline parliament by replacing the Senate with a smaller, less powerful second chamber. ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi addresses supporters during a “Basta un Si” rally calling for a “Yes” vote to the upcoming constitutional reform referendum at the Fuksas’ Cloud Convention Centre in central Rome on November 26, 2016. Italy will hold a referendum on constitutional reform on December 4 in which Renzi has staked his political future on winning approval of a move to streamline parliament by replacing the Senate with a smaller, less powerful second chamber.<br /> ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

Italy’s senate will vote on the 2017 budget on Wednesday, checking off the last task for outgoing Prime Minister Matteo Renzi before he officially resigns, the upper house of parliament said Tuesday.

The budget has already been given the green light by the lower house but the senate needs to give its nod as well, with the debate kicking off at 9:30 am (0830 GMT) and a vote expected to begin around 1:30 pm (1230 GMT).

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella called on Renzi, 41, to postpone his exit following his crushing referendum defeat until the budget is passed, in a bid to reassure those in Europe worried about the country’s plunge into political uncertainty.

Renzi is expected to meet Wednesday afternoon with the top rung of his centre-left Democratic Party (PD) to discuss what decisions need to be taken in the short and medium terms — such as whether he will remain party head.

The former mayor of Florence will also likely meet with Mattarella at the presidential palace after the budget passes to officially resign.

Consultations between Mattarella and the political parties over choosing a caretaker prime minister and government could begin as early as Thursday and continue into Friday.

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