Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigns

ROME

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has tendered Wednesday his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella after Italians rejected the constitutional reform.

Renzi went to the presidential palace late Wednesday and offered his government's resignation to the head of the state, the president's office said in a statement.

President Mattarella asked Renzi to stay on as caretaker government while he is consulting with the political parties to decide how to move on, the statement said.

On Dec. 4, Italians voted against the constitutional reform that Renzi and his government had proposed.

Following defeat of referendum on constitutional change, he announced his resignation on Monday.

With nearly 60 percent of voters rejecting the constitutional change, according to unofficial results, Renzi said the "No camp" won and he "took full responsibility for the clear defeat.

"Italians made a clear choice. It is a clear defeat. It is my defeat."

ROME

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has tendered Wednesday his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella after Italians rejected the constitutional reform.

Renzi went to the presidential palace late Wednesday and offered his government's resignation to the head of the state, the president's office said in a statement.

President Mattarella asked Renzi to stay on as caretaker government while he is consulting with the political parties to decide how to move on, the statement said.

On Dec. 4, Italians voted against the constitutional reform that Renzi and his government had proposed.

Following defeat of referendum on constitutional change, he announced his resignation on Monday.

With nearly 60 percent of voters rejecting the constitutional change, according to unofficial results, Renzi said the "No camp" won and he "took full responsibility for the clear defeat.

"Italians made a clear choice. It is a clear defeat. It is my defeat."