Italy PM Renzi says he will now resign as parliament passes budget law

Italian premier Matteo Renzi has said he will resign now that parliament has completed approval of the 2017 national budget.

Mr Renzi had offered his resignation two days earlier to President Sergio Mattarella following his humiliating defeat in a government-backed voter referendum on reforms.

But Mr Mattarella told him to stay in office until passage of the budget law, which was done on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Renzi tweeted that he plans to go to the president to resign at 7pm local time (6pm Irish time).