Italy: New Ministers Cabinet Sworn In
By Ria Novosti
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and his newly formed government’s ministers were sworn in at the presidential palace on Wednesday, ending Silvio Berlusconi’s 17-year-long political hegemony.
The new 12-minister Cabinet includes no politicians. It instead comprises of businessmen, diplomats and bankers tasked with saving Italy from a deepening economic downturn.
Apart from occupying the premier’s post, Monti will also serve as economy minister.
Monti said that he hoped that “by governing well, we can make a contribution to the calming and the cohesion of political forces.”
He also said that “the non-presence of politicians in the government would help.”
Monti, an ex-EU commissioner, was appointed as Italy’s prime minister on Sunday after the resignation of the 75-year-old Silvio Berlusconi, who stepped down after parliament approved new austerity measures demanded by the European Union to help trim Italy’s massive 1.9-trillion-euro debt.
