The Renzi government was the 63rd government of the Italian Republic, in office from February 2014 to December 2016. It was led by Matteo Renzi, secretary and leader of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). The government was made of members of the PD together with the New Centre-Right (NCD), the Union of the Centre (UdC), Civic Choice (SC), the Populars for Italy (PpI, until June 2015), Solidary Democracy (DemoS since July 2014), the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), Democratic Centre (CD, since October 2015), and non-party independents.
At its formation, the Renzi government was the youngest government of Italy to date, with an average age of forty-seven, and the youngest-ever prime minister. It was also the first Italian government in which the number of female ministers was equal to the number of male ministers, not including the prime minister; that later changed, as eventually three female ministers resigned, each replaced by a male minister. On 19 April 2016, the Senate rejected two motions of no confidence against the government following the Tempa Rossa scandal; the first one (entered by the Five Star Movement) was defeated with a 96–183 votes, while the second one (entered by Forza Italia, Northern League, and Conservative and Reformists) was defeated with a 93–180 vote.
History
At a meeting on 13 February 2014, following tensions between Prime Minister Enrico Letta and PD Secretary Matteo Renzi, the Democratic Party leadership voted heavily in favour of Renzi's call for "a new government, a new phase and a radical programme of reform". Minutes after the Party backed the Renzi proposal by 136 votes to 16, with two abstentions, Palazzo Chigi – the official residence of the Prime Minister – announced that Letta would travel to the Quirinale the following day to tender his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano.
In an earlier speech, Renzi had paid tribute to Letta, saying that he did not intend to put him "on trial". But, without directly proposing himself as the next Prime Minister, he said the Eurozone's third-largest economy urgently needed "a new phase" and "radical programme" to push through badly needed reforms. The motion he put forward made clear "the necessity and urgency of opening a new phase with a new executive". Speaking privately to party leaders, Renzi said that Italy was "at a crossroads" and faced either holding fresh elections or a new government without a return to the polls. On 14 February, President Napolitano accepted Letta's resignation from the office of Prime Minister.
Following Letta's resignation, Renzi formally received the task of forming a new government from President Napolitano on 17 February. Renzi held several days of talks with party leaders, all of which he broadcast live on the internet, before unveiling his government on 21 February, which contained members of his Democratic Party, the New Centre-Right, the Union of the Centre and Civic Choice. His government became Italy's youngest government to date, with an average age of 47. It was also the first in which the number of female ministers was equal to the number of male ministers, excluding the Prime Minister.
The following day Renzi was formally sworn in as prime minister, becoming the youngest prime minister in the history of Italy. His rise to become prime minister was widely seen as a sign of much-needed generational change, and at the time he took office he enjoyed by far the highest approval rating of any politician in the country. On 25 February Renzi won a vote of confidence in the Italian Parliament, with 169 votes in the Senate and 378 in the Chamber of Deputies. On 20 March, Prime Minister Renzi became ad interim Minister of Infrastructure and Transport after the resignation of Maurizio Lupi, due to a corruption scandal involving public works on infrastructure, in which his name was cited several times. Renzi held the office until 2 April, when Graziano Delrio was appointed as the new minister.
Investiture votes House of Parliament Vote Parties VotesSenate of the Republic YesPD (107), NCD (31), PSI-SVP (11), PI (11), SC (8), GAL–UDC (1) NoFI (58), M5S (49), LN (14), GAL–UDC (10), Others (8) AbstentionNone Chamber of Deputies YesPD (290), NCD (29), SC (22), DemoS–CD (17), LN (1), Others (19) NoM5S (98), FI (61), SEL (34), LN (18), FdI (7), Others (2) AbstentionOthers (1)
Party breakdown Beginning of term Ministers Democratic Party 10 New Centre-Right 3 Civic Choice 1 Union of the Centre 1 Independents 2
Ministers and other members Democratic Party (PD): Prime minister, 8 ministers, 4 deputy ministers, 21 undersecretaries New Centre-Right (NCD): 3 ministers, 2 deputy ministers, 7 undersecretaries Civic Choice (SC): 1 minister, 1 deputy minister, 3 undersecretaries Union of the Centre (UdC): 1 minister Populars for Italy (PpI): 1 deputy minister, 3 undersecretaries Italian Socialist Party (PSI): 1 deputy minister Independents: 3 ministers, 5 undersecretaries
End of term Ministers Democratic Party 11 New Centre-Right 3 Union of the Centre 1 Independents 2
Ministers and other members Democratic Party (PD): Prime minister, 9 ministers, 3 deputy ministers, 23 undersecretaries New Centre-Right (NCD): 3 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 9 undersecretaries Union of the Centre (UdC): 1 minister Solidary Democracy (DemoS): 2 deputy ministers Civic Choice (SC): 1 deputy minister Italian Socialist Party (PSI): 1 deputy minister Democratic Centre (CD): 1 undersecretary Civics and Innovators (CI): 1 undersecretary Independents: 3 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 4 undersecretaries
Geographical breakdown Beginning of term Northern Italy: 8 ministers Emilia-Romagna: 4 ministers Lombardy: 2 ministers Liguria: 2 ministers Central Italy: 7 ministers (incl. Renzi) Lazio: 4 ministers Tuscany: 3 ministers Southern and Insular Italy: 2 ministers Sicily: 1 minister Calabria: 1 minister
Final breakdown Northern Italy: 8 ministers Emilia-Romagna: 4 ministers Liguria: 2 ministers Piedmont: 1 minister Lombardy: 1 minister Central Italy: 8 ministers (incl. Renzi) Lazio: 5 ministers Tuscany: 3 ministers Southern and Insular Italy: 1 minister Sicily: 1 minister
Council of Ministers
Office Name Party Term Prime Minister Matteo Renzi PD Minister of Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini PD Paolo Gentiloni PD Minister of the Interior Angelino Alfano NCD Minister of Justice Andrea Orlando PD Minister of Defence Roberta Pinotti PD Minister of Economy and Finance Pier Carlo Padoan Ind. Minister of Economic Development Federica Guidi Ind. Matteo Renzi (ad interim) PD Carlo Calenda Ind. Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Maurizio Lupi NCD Matteo Renzi (ad interim) PD Graziano Delrio PD Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Maurizio Martina PD Minister of the Environment Gian Luca Galletti UDC / CpI Minister of Labour and Social Policies Giuliano Poletti Ind. Minister of Education, University and Research Stefania Giannini SC / PD Minister of Culture and Tourism Dario Franceschini PD Minister of Health Beatrice Lorenzin NCD Minister of Constitutional Reformsand Parliamentary Relations Maria Elena Boschi PD Minister of Public Administration Marianna Madia PD Minister of Regional Affairs Maria Carmela Lanzetta PD Enrico Costa NCD Secretary of the Council of Ministers Graziano Delrio PD Claudio De Vincenti PD
Composition OfficePortrait Name Term of office PartyPrime MinisterMatteo Renzi22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of Foreign AffairsFederica Mogherini22 February 2014 – 31 October 2014Democratic PartyPaolo Gentiloni31 October 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of the InteriorAngelino Alfano22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016New Centre-RightMinister of JusticeAndrea Orlando22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of DefenceRoberta Pinotti22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of Economy and FinancePier Carlo Padoan22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016IndependentMinister of Economic DevelopmentFederica Guidi22 February 2014 – 5 April 2016IndependentMatteo Renzi5 April 2016 – 10 May 2016Democratic PartyCarlo Calenda10 May 2016 – 12 December 2016IndependentMinister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry PoliciesMaurizio Martina22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of the EnvironmentGian Luca Galletti22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Union of the CentreMinister of Infrastructure and TransportMaurizio Lupi22 February 2014 – 20 March 2015New Centre-RightMatteo Renzi20 March 2015 – 2 April 2015Democratic PartyGraziano Delrio2 April 2015 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of Labour and Social PoliciesGiuliano Poletti22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016IndependentMinister of Education, University and ResearchStefania Giannini22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Civic ChoiceDemocratic PartyMinister of Cultural Heritage and Activities and TourismDario Franceschini22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of HealthBeatrice Lorenzin22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016New Centre-RightMinister for Constitutional Reforms and Parliamentary RelationsMaria Elena Boschi22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of Public AdministrationMarianna Madia22 February 2014 – 12 December 2016Democratic PartyMinister of Regional Affairs and AutonomiesMaria Carmela Lanzetta22 February 2014 – 26 January 2015Democratic PartyMatteo Renzi26 January 2015 – 29 January 2016Democratic PartyEnrico Costa29 January 2016 – 12 December 2016New Centre-RightSecretary of the Council of MinistersGraziano Delrio22 February 2014 – 2 April 2015Democratic PartyClaudio De Vincenti10 April 2015 – 12 December 2016Democratic Party
Chronology
February 2014 On 14 February 2014, the Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, taking note of the approval by a large majority by the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of a proposal by the Democratic Party Secretary Renzi to give life to a new government, tendered his irrevocable resignation to the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano, who accepted it and gave life immediately to consultations with speakers of the House of Deputies and of the Senate, as well as with delegations of MPs for each political party. The Northern League Party and the Five Star Movement decide not to take part in such consultations.
On 17 February 2014, the President of the Republic assigned the task of forming a new government to the Secretary of the Democratic Party Matteo Renzi, who reserved the right to accept, also informing the Speakers of both Houses. On 18 February 2014 and 19 February 2014 the Prime Minister held consultations with the parliamentary groups of both Houses of Parliament. On 21 February 2014, Matteo Renzi went to the president of the Republic and communicated his decision to become prime minister, presenting a list of 16 ministers.
On 22 February 2014, Matteo Renzi and 15 ministers took the oath before the president of the Republic at the Quirinale Palace. After the handover with the former Prime Minister Enrico Letta, Renzi presided over the first government meeting, in which the Ministers without portfolio were assigned their briefs and Graziano Delrio was appointed Under-Secretary of State at the Prime Minister's Office, as well as Cabinet Secretary.
On 24 February 2014, Prime Minister Renzi presented his Government's program in the Senate and, after almost 11 hours of debate, his government obtained the Senate's vote of confidence, with 169 voting in favor and 139 against. On 25 February 2014, the government also obtained the vote of confidence vote of the House of Deputies, with 378 votes in favour, 220 against and 1 abstention.
On 28 February 2014, the Italian government appointed forty four under-secretaries, who in the evening took the oath before Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.Di ritorno dall'estero, giurerà due giorni più tardi, Retrieved 8 March 2014
March 2014