Italian PM Letta to resign

Italian Premier Enrico Letta says he is resigning after a party rival withdrew crucial government support.

Mr Letta said today that he will hand in his resignation to Italy’s president tomorrow.

He was virtually forced to resign after his Democratic Party’s leader, Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi, pulled support for the tattered, 10-month-old governing coalition.

Mr Renzi earlier called a party leadership meeting to decide whether to withdraw support from the coalition, accusing the premier of failing to make progress on key financial reforms.

Mr Renzi, 39, has been critical of Mr Letta since December, when Mr Renzi was voted head of their Democratic Party.

He could be asked to form a new government, but it would need to win a vote of confidence in both houses of Parliament.