International press hails Renzi win as ‘hope for Italy’

(ANSA) – Rome, December 9 – International media outlets have hailed the win of Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi at the center-left Democratic Party (PD) primary on Sunday as ‘the new hope in Italian politics’. The BBC noted in a profile Monday on the 38-year-old that his ”rise is seen as a sign of much-needed generational change,” and that he enjoys ”by far the highest approval rating of any politician in the country,” asking whether he might not be ”Another Blair?”. Media outlets from the US to France have all given a great deal of attention to the Florence mayor’s fast rise to the top. While many say that he is likely to bring in watershed change by revitalizing the center-left, some say that there is also the risk that he might ”destabilize” the government under Enrico Letta. The Guardian noted that Renzi’s win ”boosts the left’s election hopes” and that the young mayor is also popular with many center-right voters. The Financial Times said that his victory ”will boost morale for the Democrats”.

Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung called the Florence mayor ”the new hope in Italian politics”, while Die Welt commented on the ”surprisingly clear” win of the ”wonder boy of Italian politics” and noted that problems may arise within a ”difficult collaboration with Prime Minister Enrico Letta”. Handesblatt said that the cornerstones of Renzi’s politics – labor reform and lower taxes – may end up being a bone of contention with Letta. Le Monde called Renzi ”post-ideological” and compared his ways with those of S