Democratic Party secretary Matteo Renzi arrives to speak at a party leadership meeting to decide whether to yank support from Letta's fragile coalition government, accusing the premier of failing to make progress on key financial reforms, in Rome Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. Italian Premier Enrico Letta faces a new challenge to his leadership Thursday as the head of his own party tried to orchestrate a power grab. Renzi, 39, has been critical of Letta since December, when Renzi was voted head of their Democratic Party. If successful, Renzi could be tapped to form a new government. (AP Photo/Roberto Monaldo) ITALY OUT (The Associated Press)
ROME – Outgoing Premier Enrico Letta was hosting his final cabinet meeting after his party voted him out of office in a stunning power play to put Florence's dynamic young mayor at the helm of the Italian government.
Letta planned to tender his resignation Friday to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who after a few days of consultations is expected to ask the head of Letta's Democratic Party, Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi, to try to form a government.
The 39-year-old Renzi rallied his party's executives Thursday to back him in an internal vote of no-confidence against Letta, accusing him of failing to lift Italy out of its economic and political doldrums.
The ouster came as statistics bureau Istat reported Friday that fourth-quarter GDP edged up 0.1 percent, the first positive growth since mid-2011.
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