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Italian president asks Renzi to delay resignation until budget passed

The draft budget has already been prepared by the government and submitted to the parliament. It may be passed by the end of the week.

ROME, December 6. /TASS/. Italian President Sergio Mattarella asked Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to put off his resignation until the country’s parliament passes the next year’s budget, the presidential administration said in a statement.

"Chairman of the Council of Ministers Matteo Renzi announced his intention to leave the post. The head of the state asked him to wait until the 2017 budget bill is passed," reads the statement, released late on Monday.

According to the RaiNews 24 channel report, the bill has already been prepared by the government and submitted to the parliament. It may be passed by the end of the week.

Once the bill is passed, Mattarella will start political consultations on whether to disband the government and the parliament.

Renzi announced his resignation Monday following the defeat of his proposal for a constitutional reform in Sunday’s national referendum.

The prime minister admitted his defeat and took on responsibility for it, saying the voters’ turnout at the polling stations had been unexpectedly high. He called the vote in the referendum a feast of democracy and congratulated the forces that did not support the reform.