Italy's Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni has been chosen by the country's president to replace Matteo Renzi as prime minister.
President Sergio Mattarella summoned Paolo Gentiloni on Sunday. "The President of the Republic has summoned the honourable Paolo Gentiloni to the Quirinale Palace at 12.30 today," a statement from the president said.
Mattarella had said on Saturday evening that he plans to swiftly appoint a new premier as the country needs a "fully functioning government" to handle a string of pressing problems such as the troubled banking sector and ongoing relief efforts for citizens affected by a series of deadly earthquakes between August and October.
Gentiloni replaces outgoing prime minister Matteo Renzi after he resigned last week following a crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform. Gentiloni, 62, is a former student radical who comes from a well-to-do Roman family with aristocratic roots.
But more importantly, he is a close ally of Renzi and will be seen by the opposition as a puppet premier keeping the seat warm for his Democratic Party colleague, who is planning a comeback in the next election.
As foreign minister Gentiloni forged a close working relationship with US Secretary of State John Kerry, the US was able to build airbases in the country to use for airstrikes on Islamic State targets.
A senior US state department official praised Gentiloni, saying he pursued diplomacy with "energy, focused determination, and initiative".
"He knows the world's trouble spots and takes action to shape events. For instance, he has been personally involved in trying to counter the forces of chaos in Libya through a mix of diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives, which have made a difference there on the ground," the official said, according to the Guardian.
