Mario Monti

ROME A disgruntled Italian business owner who for the second time in less than a year has climbed on top of St. Peter's Basilica to protest the government has ended his latest stunt after two days. Beach resort owner Marcello Di Finizio was persuaded...

ROME, May 20 (Reuters) - A man climbed onto a ledge on the dome of St Peter's Basilica on Monday and unfurled a banner protesting against a "political horror show", an apparent reference to Italy's embattled coalition struggling with recession and high...

* Honeymoon over for Letta after less than a month * Protesters demand focus on jobs * Government's approval rating falling ROME, May 18 (Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in Rome on Saturday against austerity policies and high unemployment,...

* Politicians begged reluctant Napolitano * Worse crisis for decades solved by president * Future uncertain, how long will president serve? By Barry Moody and Steve Scherer ROME, May 7 (Reuters) - On Saturday April 20, the leaders of Italy's two...

* Letta eyes wider backing in meeting with Spanish PM * Wants EU policy shift towards more growth, less austerity * ISTAT says economy will shrink 1.4 pct this year * But data suggests recession gradually easing By Gavin Jones ROME, May 6 (Reuters) -...

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy should seek two more years to meet its deficit targets, new deputy economy minister Stefano Fassina said in a newspaper interview on Sunday, underscoring splits within the ruling coalition on the central issue of austerity versus...

ROME, May 4 (Reuters) - A junior Italian equal opportunities minister was removed from her post on Saturday less than 24 hours after being sworn in to the new coalition government, after she said gays invited discrimination by "ghettoising" themselves....

ROME, May 3 (Reuters) - More than 60 percent of Italians have confidence in new prime minister Enrico Letta, but only 7 percent expect his right-left coalition government to last for a full five-year term, a survey showed on Friday. Letta's government...

* Letta vows end to austerity and promises to meet debt targets * Government tensions over call to scrap unpopular housing tax * No detail on how to pay for tax cuts By James Mackenzie ROME, May 1 (Reuters) - Italy's new prime minister, Enrico Letta,...

ROME, April 27 (Reuters) - Italian centre-left politician Enrico Letta named a new coalition government on Saturday after reaching a deal with Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right party ended the stalemate since February's deadlocked election. The government...

* Saccomanni, 70, virtually unknown to Italian public * Has spent whole career in Bank of Italy * Enjoys respect among international policymakers * With no party affiliation, may lack political clout By Gavin Jones ROME, April 27 (Reuters) - Italy'...

* New PM Letta must hold together broad coalition * Names central banker Saccomanni as economy minister * Will push EU to ease austerity By Gavin Jones ROME, April 27 (Reuters) - There is much about Italy's new centre-left prime minister Enrico Letta,...