Monti to quit once budget legislation is passed

Italian Premier Mario Monti has told the country’s president that he intends to resign since Silvio Berlusconi withdrew his support for the year-old government of technocrats and intends to quit as soon as Parliament passes critical budget legislation.

President Giorgio Napolitano’s office announced Mr Monti’s plan after the chief of state met with Mr Monti for nearly two hours tonight at the presidential palace in Rome.