Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano has resigned from office. He has resigned citing reason of poor health ahead of his 2020 expiry term. He also announced his retirement after stepping down as President.
About Giorgio Napolitano
- He was a long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and was elected to Italian parliament for first time in 1953.
- He was Minister of Interior from 1996 to 1998 under then Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
- President: In 2006, he was elected by parliament as President of Italy for first time. He was re-elected as President in 2013 and was to retire in 2020. He is longest-serving President of Italy and was in office for around 8 years.
- As a President, he was regarded as a guarantor of stability amid of current unstable governments and Italy’s longest recession since World War II.
President of Italy: His role is mainly ceremonial but can declare legislation unconstitutional. He also has the power to dissolve parliament, nominate prime ministers and call early elections. He has tenure of 7 years.