Italy president asks centre-left leader Renzi to form government

17/02/2014 - 11:56

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has asked centre-left leader Matteo Renzi to form a new government following the resignation of former Prime Minister Enrico Letta last week, an official from the president's office said on Monday.

Renzi, who met Napolitano for 90 minutes, will need to seal a formal coalition deal with the small centre-right NCD party to secure a governing majority and name his cabinet before seeking a formal vote of confidence in parliament later this week.

(Reporting By James Mackenzie; editing by Philip Pullella)