Monday, December 24, 2012

Monti posts reform agenda online, urges debate on Italy

Outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti posted his reform agenda online today, urging Italians to join a debate on their country's future as potentially bitter election campaign gets underway two months before Italy goes to polls.

Following weeks of hesitation, Monti declared his availability on Sunday to lead a reform-minded centrist alliance to seek a second term to complete the economic reform programme begun when he took office just over a year ago.

In an open letter to Italians posted online and accompanied by a 25-page policy programme, Monti said he hoped that the agenda would lead to an "open reflection" that would help shape the debate ahead of the election on Feb. 24-25.