Italian president Giorgio Napolitano quits before end of tenure

Rome, Jan 14: Italian President Giorgio Napolitano resigned Wednesday after almost nine years in office, before completion of his second tenure.

His secretary general took the letter of resignation signed by the 89-year-old president to the heads of the two chambers of parliament and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi for a formal view, Xinhua reported.

Napolitano, who will serve as a senator for life after his resignation, made it clear several times that he would not complete his second seven-year term, explaining that he could not ignore the signs of fatigue at his age.

Napolitano, first elected in May 2006, had reluctantly agreed to be re-appointed for an unprecedented second term in April 2013 to break a two-month-long political stalemate in parliament brought about by inconclusive elections.

IANS