Matteo Renzi

Renzi was born on 11 January 1975 in Florence, the second of four children. His father Tiziano Renzi was a small business owner and Christian Democracy (DC) municipal councillor in Rignano sull'Arno.{{cite news|url=http://www.lanazione.it/firenze/politica/2012/09/13/771604-la-renzi-family-sostiene-online-la-candidatura-di-matteo-renzi.shtml|title=Benvenuti in casa Renzi: il sostegno online della famiglia|work=La Nazione|language=it|date=13 September 2012|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Lillo|first=Marco|date=11 February 2022|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2012/10/08/sistema-renzi-amici-famiglia-potere-ma-ce-fascicolo-sulluso-dei-fondi-pubblici/375926/|title=Il sistema Renzi: amici, famiglia, potere. E un fascicolo sull'uso dei fondi pubblici|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi grew up in an observant Catholic family in Rignano sull'Arno. He studied in Florence at the classical lyceum (liceo classico) Dante Alighieri, where he passed his final exam with the grade of 60/60 but was nearly expelled because, as the students' representative, he refused to withdraw a school newspaper in which there was criticism of a maths teacher.{{cite news|url=http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/personaggi/11639368/La-maturita-delle-ministre--il.html|title=La maturità delle ministre: il 'dramma' della Boschi, l'incubo della Madia|work=Libero Quotidiano|language=it|date=22 June 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} During this time, he was a Scout in the Association of Catholic Guides and Scouts of Italy.{{cite news|last=Orlandi Posti|first=Nicoletta|date=21 September 2012|url=http://www.lanazione.it/politica/2012/09/21/775409-renzi-dall-adolescenza-alla-laurea.shtml|title=Matteo story: Renzi, lo scout che studiava da sindaco|work=La Nazione|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}

In 1999, Renzi graduated in law from the University of Florence with a thesis on Giorgio La Pira, the former DC mayor of Florence. He then went on to work for CHIL Srl, a marketing company focusing on leafleting owned by his family, co-ordinating the sales service of La Nazione.{{cite web|url=http://www.matteorenzi.it/chi-sono/|url-status=live|title=Chi sono|website=Matteo Renzi|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108025845/http://www.matteorenzi.it/chi-sono/|archive-date=8 January 2022|access-date=13 February 2022}} During this time, Renzi was also an association football referee at amateur level and a futsal player.{{cite web|url=http://www.giornalettismo.com/archives/1360393/matteo-renzi-e-laneddoto-sullarbitro-di-calcio/|title=Matteo Renzi e l'aneddoto sull'arbitro di calcio|website=Giornalettismo|language=it|date=15 February 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} In 1994, he participated as a competitor for five consecutive episodes in the television program La Ruota Della Fortuna (a localised version of the United States game show Wheel of Fortune) hosted by Mike Bongiorno, winning Lit.48 million.{{cite news|url=http://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/politica/2009/12-febbraio-2009/renzi-giro-ruota-fortuna--150994578583.shtml|title=E Renzi girò la ruota della fortuna|work=Corriere Fiorentino|language=it|date=12 February 2009|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Cottone|first=Nicoletta|date=17 February 2014|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-02-17/matteo-renzi-ruota-fortuna-vince-48-milioni-vecchie-lire-082710.shtml|title=Matteo Renzi/ Alla Ruota della Fortuna vince 48 milioni di vecchie lire|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi's interest in politics began in high school. He was one of the founders of the committee in support of Romano Prodi's candidature as Prime Minister of Italy in the 1996 Italian general election; that same year, Renzi joined the centrist Italian People's Party (PPI), and became its provincial secretary in 1999. He also married Agnese Landini, with whom he later had three children. In 2001, Renzi joined Francesco Rutelli's Daisy party, composed by members of the disbanded PPI.

On 13 June 2004, Renzi was elected president of the province of Florence with 59% of the vote, as the candidate of the centre-left coalition. He was the youngest person to become president of an Italian province.{{cite web|url=http://met.provincia.fi.it/news.aspx?n=12702|title=Matteo Renzi in Palazzo Medici Riccardi con il 58,8% dei voti|publisher=Metropolitan City of Florence|language=it|date=15 June 2009|access-date=11 February 2022}} In the years as president of Florence province, Renzi expressed his ideas against "the political caste" and during his mandate reduced taxes and decreased the number of the province's employees and managers.{{cite news|url=http://www.lanazione.it/firenze/cronaca/2011/08/05/557690-assunti_senza_qualifiche.shtml|title='Assunti senza qualifiche' Renzi condannato dalla Corte dei Conti Il sindaco: 'Fantasiosa ricostruzione'|work=La Nazione|language=it|date=5 August 2011|access-date=9 February 2022}}

After five years as the president of Florence province, Renzi announced that he would seek election as the mayor of Florence. On 9 June 2009, Renzi, by now a member of the Democratic Party (PD), won the election on a second round vote with 60% of the votes, compared to 40% for his opponent Giovanni Galli.{{cite web|url=http://www.comune.firenze.it/elettorale/refeball2009/ballottaggio.htm|url-status=dead|title=Elezioni Comunali Turno di ballottaggio 21–22 giugno 2009|publisher=City of Florence|language=it|date=22 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018043524/http://www.comune.firenze.it/elettorale/refeball2009/ballottaggio.htm|archive-date=18 October 2013|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Roe|first=Alex|date=24 June 2009|url=http://italychronicles.com/matteo-renzi-takes-florence/|title=Matteo Renzi takes Florence|website=Italy Chronicles|access-date=11 February 2022}} As the mayor, he halved the number of city councillors, installed 500 free WiFi access points across the city, reduced kindergarten waiting lists by 90%, and increased spending on social welfare programs and schools.{{cite magazine|last=Marchetti|first=Silvia|date=21 March 2014|url=https://www.newsweek.com/2014/03/21/matteo-renzi-sweeps-away-italys-old-guard-247985.html|title=Matteo Renzi Sweeps Away Italy's Old Guard|magazine=Newsweek|access-date=2 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi - Inaugurazione Incubatore Sesto.jpg]]

One year after being sworn in as mayor and with his popularity in national opinion polls increasing, Renzi organised a public meeting with another young party administrator Debora Serracchiani at Leopolda Station in Florence to discuss Italian politics, after stating that a complete change was also necessary in his party.{{cite news|last=Zegarelli|first=Maria|date=8 November 2010|url=http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=/edizioni/20101108/pdf/NAZ/pages/20101108_10_08POL10A.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Pd, una 'Carta' da Firenze. Renzi: risorsa non pericolo|work=L'Unità|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222015326/http://archiviostorico.unita.it/cgi-bin/highlightPdf.cgi?t=ebook&file=%2Fedizioni%2F20101108%2Fpdf%2FNAZ%2Fpages%2F20101108_10_08POL10A.pdf|archive-date=22 February 2014|access-date=2 February 2022}} Other prominent PD members who aligned themselves with Renzi's programme were Matteo Richetti, president of the Regional Council of Emilia-Romagna, Davide Faraone, a regional councillor from the Sicilian Regional Assembly, and Giuseppe Civati, a prominent member of the PD in Lombardy and a member of the Regional Council of Lombardy.{{cite news|url=http://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/politica/2011/26-ottobre-2011/big-bang-incassa-firme-ichino-1901953323202.shtml|title=Il Big bang incassa le firme di Ichino|work=Corriere Fiorentino|language=it|date=26 October 2011|access-date=10 February 2022}}

Following this public meeting in August 2010, the Italian media gave Renzi the nickname il rottamatore ("The Scrapper" or "The Wrecker").{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20210119/profile-who-is-matteo-renzi-the-wrecker-of-italian-politics/|title=Profile: Who is Matteo Renzi, the 'wrecker' of Italian politics?|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=19 January 2021|access-date=2 February 2022}} In October 2011, Renzi organised a second public meeting, also in Florence,{{cite news|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2011/ottobre/11/Renzi_lancia_Big_bang__co_8_111011029.shtml|url-status=dead|title=E Renzi lancia il 'Big bang'|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=11 October 2011|page=9|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105003634/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2011/ottobre/11/Renzi_lancia_Big_bang__co_8_111011029.shtml|archive-date=5 November 2012|access-date=4 February 2022}} where he wrote down one hundred topics of discussion.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilpost.it/2011/10/31/le-100-proposte-di-matteo-renzi/|title=Le 100 proposte di Matteo Renzi|work=Il Post|language=it|date=31 October 2011|access-date=4 February 2022}} During this time, he began to be strongly criticised by other members of his party closer to then-PD secretary Pier Luigi Bersani,{{cite news|last=Cerasa|first=Claudio|date=12 October 2011|url=http://www.ilfoglio.it/cerazade/1959|url-status=dead|title=Bang bang. Botte da orbi tra Renzi e Bersani|work=Il Foglio|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304204541/http://www.ilfoglio.it/cerazade/1959|archive-date=4 March 2014|access-date=4 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Falcioni|first=Massimo|date=29 October 2011|url=https://www.blogo.it/post/12151/pd-caos-fra-bersani-e-il-rottamatore-renzi-volano-stracci-e-ci-si-mette-anche-vendola|title=Pd caos, fra Bersani e il 'rottamatore' Renzi volano stracci. E ci si mette anche Vendola...|website=Blogo|language=it|access-date=4 February 2022}} after his suggestion that Italian politicians of the same generation as then-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should retire.{{cite news|last=Rosso|first=Umberto|date=29 August 2010|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2010/08/29/news/nuovo_ulivo-6587119/|title='Il Nuovo Ulivo fa sbadigliare è ora di rottamare i nostri dirigenti'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=4 February 2022}} In September 2012, Renzi announced that he would seek to lead the centre-left coalition in the 2013 Italian general election; the other four candidates for that position were Pier Luigi Bersani, the PD secretary, Nichi Vendola, leader of Left Ecology Freedom, Laura Puppato, a PD deputy from Veneto and Bruno Tabacci, leader of the Democratic Centre.{{cite news|last=Strada|first=Maria|date=13 September 2012|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/12_settembre_13/matteo-renzi-verona-candidatura-primarie_e9e41be2-fd7a-11e1-ae02-425b67d1a375.shtml|title=Renzi lancia la sua sfida: 'Chi è deluso da Berlusconi venga da noi'|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} His candidacy was criticised by some prominent PD members and to the party's left, among them Rosy Bindi,{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2012/10/07/primarie-bindi-messaggio-di-renzi-e-berlusconiano-lavoro-perche-sia-sconfitto/375328/|title=Primarie, Bindi: 'Renzi? Messaggi berlusconiani. Lavoro per sconfiggerlo'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=7 October 2012|access-date=8 February 2022}} Massimo D'Alema,{{cite news|url=https://www.lanazione.it/firenze/cronaca/2012/10/01/780500-matteo-renzi-porta-a-porta.shtml|url-status=live|title=Renzi: 'Se vinco non ci sarà posto per D'Alema'|work=La Nazione|language=it|date=1 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226183418/http://www.lanazione.it/toscana/cronaca/2012/10/01/780504-matteo-renzi-porta-a-porta.shtml|archive-date=26 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}} Stefano Fassina,{{cite news|last=Bianchi|first=Sara|date=8 October 2012|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2012-10-08/fassina-contro-renzi-copia-161806.shtml|title=Fassina contro Renzi: copia il nostro programma. Democratici risentiti per l'assenza di sabato|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} and Vendola.{{cite web|url=http://qn.quotidiano.net/politica/2012/10/07/783198-primarie-pd-vendola-renzi-bindi.shtml|url-status=dead|title=Vendola attacca Renzi: 'E' lui da rottamare' La replica del sindaco: 'Non cado in provocazioni'|website=Quotidiano.net|language=it|date=7 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222205220/http://qn.quotidiano.net/politica/2012/10/07/783198-primarie-pd-vendola-renzi-bindi.shtml|archive-date=22 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}

After the first round of the 2012 Italian centre-left primary election, Renzi gained 35.5% of the vote, finishing second behind Bersani and qualifying for the second ballot. Renzi eventually gained a total of 39% of the vote, against Bersani's 61%.{{cite web|last1=Aresu|first1=Alessandro|last2=Bonzanni|first2=Andrea|last3=Garnero|first3=Andrea|last4=Gatto|first4=Stefano|last5=Montalto|first5=Valentina|last6=Mosca|first6=Alessia|date=December 2012|url=http://www.lospaziodellapolitica.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ItalyAfterB.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Italy After B.|publisher=Lo Spazio della Politica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029180204/http://www.lospaziodellapolitica.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/ItalyAfterB.pdf|archive-date=29 October 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}} During the 2013 general election campaign, Renzi backed Bersani by organising large public rallies in his support in Florence.{{cite web|last=Mauro|first=Angela|date=16 January 2013|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2013/01/16/elezioni-2013-la-campagna-elettorale-renzi-parte-da-bologna-mercoledi-daria-bignardi-bersani-inno-gianna-nannini_n_2487535.html|title=Elezioni 2013. La campagna elettorale di Renzi parte da Bologna, mercoledì da Daria Bignardi. Bersani sceglie 'Inno' di Gianna Nannini|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2013/02/01/news/migliaia_di_persone_per_il_comizio_di_bersani_e_renzi-51731422/|title=Elezioni, Bersani e Renzi insieme a Firenze. Sindaco: Prodi mandato a casa, io non farò così|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=1 February 2013|access-date=10 February 2022}} In the election, the PD only gained 25.5% of the vote,{{cite magazine|last=Tira|first=Elisa|date=July 2013|url=https://www.osservatorioaic.it/images/rivista/pdf/1.%20Tira_Le%20elezioni%20politiche%20del%202013%20e%20l'avvio%20della%20XVII%20Legislatura.pdf|title=Le elezioni politiche del 2013 e l'avvio della XVII legislatura|magazine=Osservatore AIC|publisher=Italian Association of Constitutionalists|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/approfondimenti/pd-storia-partito|title=Partito democratico: 12 anni tra vittorie, sconfitte e scissioni|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=16 September 2018|access-date=10 February 2022}} despite opinion polls placing the party at almost 30%.{{cite web|url=https://scenaripolitici.com/2013/04/sondaggio-ipsos-cdx-321-07-csx-314-m5s-245.html|title=Sondaggio IPSOS: CDX 32,1% (+0,7%), CSX 31,4%, M5S 24,5%|website=ScenariPolitici|language=it|date=27 February 2013|access-date=10 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Maltoni|first=Francesco|date=25 February 2013|url=https://www.leggioggi.it/2013/02/25/risultati-elezioni-2013-italia-ingovernabile-grillo-primo-partito/|title=Risultati elezioni 2013, Italia ingovernabile, Grillo primo partito|website=Leggi Oggi|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}} In the 2013 Italian presidential election, Renzi caused a minor controversy by openly criticising the candidacies of both Franco Marini and Anna Finocchiaro, two long-standing PD members.{{cite news|last=Meli|first=Maria Teresa|date=16 April 2013|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/speciali/2013/elezioni-presidente-repubblica/notizie/16-aprile-terremoto-pd-ex-dc-in-rivolta-si-contano-franchi-tiratori-meli_1c6861a6-a657-11e2-bce2-5ecd696f115c.shtml|title=Scontro Renzi-Bersani, terremoto nel Pd Ex dc in rivolta. Già si contano i franchi tiratori|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Rosso|first=Umberto|date=15 April 2013|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2013/04/15/renzi-alla-guerra-con-bersani-silura-marini.html|title=Renzi alla guerra con Bersani e silura Marini e Finocchiaro nella corsa per il Quirinale|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi crop new.png

Following the resignation of Pier Luigi Bersani in April 2013, Renzi announced that he would stand for the position of secretary of the Democratic Party (PD),{{cite news|last=Tito|first=Claudio|date=9 July 2013|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2013/07/09/news/renzi_tutti_mi_chiedono_di_candidarmi_cos_cambier_il_pd-62648241/|title=Matteo Renzi 'Tutti mi chiedono di candidarmi così cambierò il PD'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} causing his rivals to scrutinize him.{{cite news|url=https://www.linkiesta.it/2013/10/veleni-del-pd-su-renzi-dove-sta-la-notizia/|title=Veleni del Pd su Renzi: dove sta la notizia?|work=Linkiesta|language=it|date=15 October 2013|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Mell|first=Maria Teresa|date=16 October 2013|url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/13_ottobre_15/accuse-veleni-resa-conti-pd-indagate-vita-renzi-8935ca38-355b-11e3-9c0c-20e16e3a15ed.shtml|title=Accuse e veleni, resa dei conti nel Pd 'Indagate sulla vita di Renzi'|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} The PD's loss of seats led to party members' doubts concerning Bersani's leadership abilities. Renzi's impressive resume at such a young age, in combination with his reputation as a political outsider thanks to his "Scrapper" moniker, made him very electable in comparison.{{cite journal|last=Pasquino|first=Gianfranco|date=June 2016|title=Renzi: The Government, the Party, the Future of Italian Politics|journal=Journal of Modern Italian Studies|volume=21|issue=3|pages=389–398|doi=10.1080/1354571X.2016.1169883|s2cid=148425535}} He was supported by a number of his former political opponents, such as former party secretaries Walter Veltroni and Dario Franceschini, deputy Marina Sereni, member of the European Parliament David Sassoli, and Turin mayor Piero Fassino.{{cite news|last=Calvo|first=Rudy Francesco|date=17 September 2013|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2013/09/17/renzi-e-veltroni-per-un-pd-cool-che-faccia-dimenticare-bersani|url-status=dead|title=Renzi e Veltroni per un Pd 'cool' che faccia dimenticare Bersani|work=Europa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922130152/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2013/09/17/renzi-e-veltroni-per-un-pd-cool-che-faccia-dimenticare-bersani/|archive-date=22 September 2013|access-date=10 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Secci|first=Laura|date=20 October 2013|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2013/10/20/edizioni/asti/fassino-renzi-motiva-anche-i-delusi-cuperlo-il-candidato-della-nostalgia-c5LIJLjFpzNXCwLgUEHZrM/pagina.html|title=Fassino: 'Renzi motiva anche i delusi, Cuperlo? È il candidato della nostalgia'|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}} Other supporters of his included deputies like Gianni Pietro Dal Moro, Francesco Sanna, Francesco Boccia, Lorenzo Basso, and Enrico Borghi, all of whom were considered close to the newly-elected Prime Minister Enrico Letta.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2013/10/11/news/pd-68396417/|title=Primarie Pd, candidati depositano le firme. Si allunga lista dei lettiani pro Renzi|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=11 October 2013|access-date=10 February 2022}}

The other two candidates for party secretary were Gianni Cuperlo, a member of the Chamber of Deputies and former secretary of the Italian Communist Youth Federation, and Giuseppe Civati, a left-wing-oriented deputy from Lombardy and a former supporter of Renzi.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2013/10/11/news/pd-68396417/|title=Primarie Pd, candidati depositano le firme. Si allunga lista dei lettiani pro Renzi|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=11 October 2013|access-date=8 February 2022}} In the 2013 PD leadership election,{{cite news|url=https://www.corriere.it/foto_del_giorno/inglese/13_novembre_19/foto-inglese-046cc818-511e-11e3-bd01-3986935c5997.shtml|title=Renzi marches on|work=Corriere della Sera|date=13 November 2013|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi was elected with 68% of the popular vote, compared to 18% for Cuperlo and 14% for Civati.{{cite news|last=Scacchioli|first=Michela|date=8 December 2013|url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/primarie-pd/edizione2013/2013/12/08/news/primarie_comitato_renzi_sindaco_a_70_cuperlo_a_18_e_civati_a_12_ai_seggi_quasi_3_milioni_di_elettori-73048177/|title=Primarie Pd, è il trionfo di Renzi: sfiora il 70% dei voti. Affluenza: quasi 3 milioni|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2013/12/08/primarie-pd-2013-risultati-ufficiali-renzi-al-68-cuperlo-al-18-civati-al-14/805889/|title=Primarie Pd 2013, risultati ufficiali: Renzi al 68%, Cuperlo al 18%, Civati al 14%|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=8 December 2013|access-date=8 February 2022}} He became the new PD secretary and the centre-left coalition's prospective candidate for Prime Minister of Italy.{{cite news|last=D'Esposito|first=Fabrizio|date=9 December 2013|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2013/12/09/primarie-pd-2013-renzi-trionfa-e-mette-paura-a-napolitano-e-al-premier-letta/806289/|title=Primarie Pd 2013, Renzi trionfa e mette paura a Napolitano e al premier Letta|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} When comparing it with the 2012 centre-left primary election, Renzi moved to the left and his electorate was not much different from that of the party's average primary.{{cite web|last=Maggini|first=Nicola|date=24 December 2013|url=https://cise.luiss.it/cise/2013/12/24/il-profilo-degli-elettori-di-renzi-alle-primarie-vecchia-o-nuova-constituency/|title=Il profilo degli elettori di Renzi alle primarie: vecchia o nuova 'constituency'?|publisher=Italian Center for Electoral Studies|language=it|access-date=4 February 2022}}

Renzi's victory was welcomed by Prime Minister Letta,{{cite news|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/letta-si-consegna-renzi-lavoreremo-insieme-spirito-squadra-974267.html|title=Letta si consegna a Renzi: 'Lavoreremo insieme con spirito di squadra'|work=Il Giornale|language=it|date=8 December 2013|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2013/12/23/news/governo_letta_conferenza_stampa_di_fine_anno-74325853/|title=Governo, Letta: 'Svolta generazionale, con Renzi faremo gioco di squadra'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=23 December 2013|access-date=8 February 2022}} who had been the vice-secretary of the party under Bersani's leadership.{{cite news|last=Biondi|first=Adriano|date=26 February 2014|url=https://www.fanpage.it/politica/perche-renzi-ha-fatto-cadere-il-governo-letta/|title=Perché Renzi ha fatto cadere il Governo Letta|work=Fanpage|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} Throughout January and February 2014, there were multiple reports of persistent leadership tensions between Renzi and Prime Minister Letta.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/01/10/news/faccia_a_faccia_letta-renzi-75545639/|title=Letta-Renzi, incontro 'utile e positivo'. Il premier: 'Legge elettorale, si parta da intesa nella maggioranza'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=10 January 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Patta|first=Emilia|date=11 January 2014|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-01-11/letta-renzi-scontro-legge-elettorale--100203.shtml|title=Letta-Renzi, scontro sulla legge elettorale|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite magazine|last=Spadaccini|first=Lorenzo|date=July 2020|url=https://www.osservatorioaic.it/it/osservatorio/ultimi-contributi-pubblicati/lorenzo-spadacini/dalla-crisi-del-governo-letta-alla-formazione-del-governo-renzi|title=Dalla crisi del governo Letta alla formazione del governo Renzi|magazine=Osservatorio AIC|publisher=Italian Association of Constitutionalists|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} Many said that Renzi was pressuring Letta to resign in his favour, arguing that he should be given the right to become prime minister, as he was the PD's leader.{{cite web|last=Fracasso|first=Davide|date=27 November 2013|url=https://www.lenius.it/primarie-pd-2013/|title=Primarie Pd 2013: risultato scritto, poi guerra Renzi vs Letta?|website=Le Nius|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Adami|first=Pietro|date=2 December 2018|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/approfondimenti/primarie-pd-storia-risultati-2007-2018|title=Primarie Pd, la storia dei risultati dal 2007 a oggi|website=Sky TG24|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} On 12 February, Letta acknowledged these rumours for the first time, publicly demanded that Renzi make his position clear.{{cite news|last=Pretini|first=Diego|date=12 February 2014|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/02/12/governo-in-mattinata-a-palazzo-chigi-la-resa-dei-conti-tra-renzi-e-letta/878024/|title=Letta non si dimette e sfida Renzi: 'Vuole il mio posto? Esca allo scoperto'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} Renzi subsequently called a meeting of the PD leadership for the following evening.{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=13 February 2014|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/02/13/news/renzi_direzione_pd_letta_dimissioni-78486220/|title=La direzione Pd: 'Grazie Enrico, ora Renzi a Palazzo Chigi'. Letta getta la spugna: 'Mi dimetto'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} Just before the meeting took place, Renzi publicly called on Letta to resign and allow him to form a new government.{{cite news|first=David|last=Willey|date=13 February 2014|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26177042|title=Italy PM Letta's rival Renzi calls for new government|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 February 2022}} Letta initially resisted the demand;{{cite news|url=https://www.lastampa.it/politica/2014/02/12/news/letta-sfida-renzi-non-mi-dimetto-1.35923485|title=Letta sfida Renzi: 'Non mi dimetto'|work=La Stampa|language=it|last1=Castelnuovo|first1=Marco|last2=Geremicca|first2=Federico|date=12 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Patta|first=Emilia|date=12 February 2014|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-02-12/governo-si-fa-strada-ipotesi-staffetta-un-faccia-faccia-renzi-e-letta-075815.shtml|title=Letta: vado avanti, nuovo patto con i partiti. Con Renzi restano posizioni distanti. Il sindaco: parlerò domani|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} following a vote in favour of Renzi's proposal during the meeting, which Letta did not attend,{{cite news|last=Sala|first=Alessandro|date=13 February 2014|url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/14_febbraio_13/governo-giorno-giudizio-nazareno-letta-io-non-vengo-decidete-serenita-19fdcd32-94b0-11e3-af50-9dc536a34228.shtml|title=Renzi liquida Letta: 'Via dalla palude' Venerdì il premier al Quirinale per le dimissioni|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}} he announced that he would tender his resignation as prime minister on 14 February.{{cite news|last=Willey|first=David|date=14 February 2014|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26181569|title=Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta resigns|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 February 2022}}

Under Renzi's leadership, the PD officially joined the Party of European Socialists (PES) as a full-time member on 28 February 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/02/27/news/presidente_pse_la_richiesta_del_pd_sar_accettata_all_unanimit-79797051/|title=I partiti in Ue: il Pd entra nel Pse. Ma è scontro tra D'Alema e Fioroni. E Renzi ironizza|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=27 February 2014|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Pisanò|first=Alessio|date=28 February 2014|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/03/01/pd-cosa-vuol-dire-lingresso-nel-pse/898879/|title=Pd: cosa vuol dire l'ingresso nel Pse|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pes.eu/en/news/italian-partito-democratico-officially-welcomed-pes-family|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140301193008/http://www.pes.eu/en/news/italian-partito-democratico-officially-welcomed-pes-family|archive-date=1 March 2014|title=Italian Partito Democratic Officially Welcomed into the PES Family|publisher=Party of European Socialists|date=28 February 2014|access-date=10 February 2022}}

File:Prime Minister Renzi.jpg]]

On 17 January 2014, while on air at Le invasioni barbariche on La7 TV channel, interviewed about the tensions between him and the Prime Minister Enrico Letta, Renzi tweeted #enricostaisereno ("Enrico don't worry") to reassure his party colleague that he was not plotting anything against him.{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20161205/in-pictures-the-defining-moments-of-renzis-time-in-office/|title=In Pictures: The defining moments of Renzi's time as PM|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=5 December 2016|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 8 December 2016.}} At a meeting on 13 February, the PD leadership voted heavily in favour of Renzi's call for "a new government, a new phase and a radical programme of reform". Minutes after the party backed the Renzi proposal by 136 votes to 16, with two abstentions, Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of the Prime Minister, announced that Letta would travel to the Quirinale the following day to tender his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano.{{cite news|last=Cottone|first=Nicoletta|date=13 February 2014|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-02-13/round-decisivo-la-staffetta-palazzo-chigi-letta-non-vengo-direzione-142522.shtml|title=Renzi apre fase nuova: ora un governo con obiettivo 2018 e riforme. Il voto della direzione: 136 sì, 16 no e due astenuti|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 17 February, in his last act as the mayor of Florence, Renzi appointed Dario Nardella as Deputy Mayor Regent of Florence with the task of leading the city until the mayoral elections in May that same year.{{cite web|url=https://www.comune.fi.it/pagina/sindaco-dario-nardella|url-status=live|title=Sindaco Dario Nardella|publisher=City of Florence|language=it|date=January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202124236/https://www.comune.fi.it/pagina/sindaco-dario-nardella|archive-date=2 February 2022|access-date=2 February 2022}}

In an earlier speech, Renzi had paid tribute to Letta, saying that he did not intend to put him "on trial". Without directly proposing himself as the next prime minister, he said the eurozone's third-largest economy urgently needed "a new phase" and "radical programme" to push through badly-needed reforms. The motion he put forward made clear "the necessity and urgency of opening a new phase with a new executive". Speaking privately to party leaders, Renzi said that Italy was "at a crossroads" and faced either holding fresh elections or a new government without a return to the polls.{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Lizzy|date=13 February 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/13/italian-pm-enrico-letta-to-resign|title=Italian PM Enrico Letta to resign|work=The Guardian|access-date=8 February 2022}} On 14 February, President Napolitano accepted Letta's resignation from the office of Prime Minister.{{cite news|url=http://ria.ru/world/20140214/994925256.html|title=Pravitel'stvennyy krizis v Italii: prem'yer Letta ushel v otstavku|script-title=ru:Правительственный кризис в Италии: премьер Летта ушел в отставку|publisher=RIA Novosti|language=ru|date=14 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 15 February 2014.}}

Following Letta's resignation, Renzi formally received the task of forming a new government from President Napolitano on 17 February.{{cite web|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/02/39-year-old-matteo-renzi-becomes-youngest-italian-prime-minister|title=39 Year Old Matteo Renzi becomes, at 39, Youngest Italian Prime Minister|website=Biharprabha News|publisher=Indo-Asian News Service|access-date=8 February 2022}} Renzi held several days of talks with party leaders, all of which he broadcast live on the internet, before unveiling the Renzi Cabinet on 21 February, which contained members of the PD, the New Centre-Right, the Union of the Centre, and the Civic Choice (SC). His cabinet became Italy's youngest government to date, with an average age of 47.{{cite news|last=Cruccu|first=Matteo|date=21 February 2014|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/14_febbraio_21/renzi-47-8-anni-media-governo-piu-giovane-sempre-4e140a1e-9b27-11e3-8ea8-da6384aa5c66.shtml|title=Renzi: con 47, 8 anni di media, è il governo più giovane di sempre|work=Corriere Della Sera|access-date=8 February 2022}} It was also the first in which the number of female ministers was equal to the number of male ministers, excluding the Prime Minister.{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/politica/2014/notizia/renzi-accetta-l-incarico-di-governo-sabato-alle-11-30-il-giuramento_2028469.shtml|url-status=live|title=Matteo Renzi presenta il governo: 'Metà sono donne, mi gioco la faccia'|website=Tgcom24|language=it|date=21 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506054339/http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/politica/2014/notizia/renzi-accetta-l-incarico-di-governo-sabato-alle-11-30-il-giuramento_2028469.shtml|archive-date=6 May 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/22/matteo-renzi-unveils-new-italian-government|title=Matteo Renzi unveils a new Italian government with familiar problems|website=The Guardian|publisher=Associated Press|date=22 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}

On 22 February, Renzi was formally sworn in as prime minister, becoming the fourth prime minister in four years and the youngest prime minister in the history of Italy.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26301943|title=Matteo Renzi sworn in as Italy's new PM in Rome ceremony|publisher=BBC|date=22 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}} His rise to become the PD's secretary and eventual prime minister was seen as a sign of much-needed generational change;{{cite news|last=Mollica|first=Andrea|date=20 January 2014|url=http://www.giornalettismo.com/archives/1307709/matteo-renzi-ed-il-boom-nei-sondaggi-che-manca|title=Sondaggi, Matteo Renzi non fa boom|work=Giornalettismo|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Alemanno|first=Alberto|date=6 December 2016|url=https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/12/stop-comparing-italy-s-referendum-to-brexit-and-trump-here-s-what-it-s-really-about/|title=Stop comparing Italy's referendum to Brexit and Trump. Here's what it's really about|publisher=World Economic Forum|access-date=9 February 2022}} at the time he took office, Renzi enjoyed by far the highest approval rating of any politician in the country.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/02/28/sondaggio-renzi-leader-piu-amato-m5s-2-elettori-su-3-vogliono-dialogo-con-lui/897114/|title=Sondaggi elettorali: Renzi il più amato. M5S, 2 elettori su 3 vogliono dialogo con lui|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=28 February 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 25 February, Renzi won a vote of confidence in the Italian Parliament, with 169 votes in the Senate of the Republic and 378 in the Chamber of Deputies.{{cite news|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/14_febbraio_25/ok-senato-adesso-camera-tweet-renzi-7-mattino-2a9c68f2-9dec-11e3-a9d3-2158120702e4.shtml|title=Renzi alla Camera: abbiamo un'unica chance Passa la fiducia con 378 sì e 220 no|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=25 February 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}

On 7 February 2015, after just under a year in power, five senators and two deputies from the SC defected to the PD, citing the leadership of Renzi as Prime Minister as the primary reason for their decision to change parties.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics-idUSKBN0LA1JU20150206|title=Italy's Renzi strengthened as centrists defect to ruling party|publisher=Reuters|date=7 February 2015|access-date=7 February 2015}} On 20 March, Prime Minister Renzi briefly became ad interim Minister of Infrastructure and Transport following the resignation of Maurizio Lupi due to a corruption scandal, involving public works on infrastructure, in which his name had been cited several times.{{cite news|last=Zampano|first=Giada|date=19 March 2015|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/italian-infrastructure-minister-maurizio-lupi-will-resign-1426796293|title=Italian Infrastructure Minister Maurizio Lupi Will Resign|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi held the office on an unofficial basis until 2 April, when Graziano Delrio was appointed as the new minister.{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/politica/graziano-delrio-ministro-delle-infrastrutture-ha-giurato-al-quirinale_2103958-201502a.shtml|title=Graziano Delrio ministro delle Infrastrutture, ha giurato al Quirinale|website=Tgcom24|language=it|date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 4 December 2016, after the failure of the referendum he proposed, Renzi announced his resignation. On 7 December, he officially handed over the resignation to the President Sergio Mattarella.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38235254|title=Italy's Renzi hands in resignation amid political turmoil|publisher=BBC|date=7 December 2016|access-date=1 February 2022}}

Upon becoming prime minister, Renzi said that labour market reform, which was thought to be "long overdue",{{cite news|last=Rostek-Buetti|first=Andreas|date=5 December 2016|url=https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-italys-baroque-system/a-36653746|title=Opinion: Italy's baroque system|publisher=Deutsche Welle|access-date=9 February 2022}} and was opposed by major trade unions and organised labour,{{cite magazine|last=Faris|first=Stephan|date=8 May 2014|url=https://time.com/91889/the-italian-job/|title=The Italian job|magazine=Time|access-date=9 February 2022}} to introduce labour market flexibility, would be at the top of his agenda to improve the state of the Italian economy.{{cite news|last=Trayneor|first=Ian|date=4 July 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/04/italy-matteo-renzi-german-bundesbank-jens-weidmann-eurozone-political-interference|title=Italian PM attacks Bundesbank over claim Rome risks eurozone recovery|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Balestreri|first=Giuliano|date=3 December 2014|url=https://www.repubblica.it/economia/2014/12/03/news/jobs_act_lavoro_scheda_riforma-102022150/|title=Jobs Act, ecco come cambia il mercato del lavoro|work=La Repubblica|language=it|publisher=Libertà e Giustizia|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite magazine|last=Lassandori|first=Andrea|year=2015|url=https://www.questionegiustizia.it/rivista/articolo/la-riforma-del-lavoro-del-governo-renzi-ed-il-sistema-di-relazioni-sindacali_253.php|title=La riforma del lavoro del Governo Renzi ed il sistema di relazioni sindacali|magazine=Questione Giustizia|language=it|publisher=Libertà e Giustizia|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 12 March 2014, the Renzi Cabinet issued a law-decree on fixed-term contracts, called the Poletti Decree, from the name of the Labour Minister Giuliano Poletti,{{cite news|last=Rigamonti|first=Matteo|date=May 2014|url=https://www.pietroichino.it/?p=31228|title=Perché il decreto Poletti segna una svolta importante nel nostro diritto del lavoro|work=Il Tempo|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Services|first=Kelly|date=5 June 2014|url=https://it.finance.yahoo.com/notizie/jobs-act-decreto-poletti-lavoro-spiegato-in-un-infografica-180634462.html|title=Jobs Act, il decreto Poletti sul lavoro spiegato in un'infografica|publisher=Yahoo!|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Giubileo|first=Francesco|date=9 June 2017|url=https://www.lavoce.info/archives/47318/jobs-act-minato-dal-decreto-poletti/|title=Il ritorno dei contratti di lavoro precari|website=Lavoce.info|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} as well as a bill proposing major reforms to the Italian labour market called the Jobs Act.{{cite web|url=http://therword.info/approval-of-jos-act-by-italian-senate|url-status=dead|title=Approval of Jos Act by Italian Senate|website=Ther Word|date=20 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323125752/http://therword.info/approval-of-jos-act-by-italian-senate#selection-297.0-297.37|archive-date=23 March 2017|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite magazine|last=Menghini|first=Luigi|year=2018|url=https://www.rivistalabor.it/contratto-lavoro-termine-contratto-tempo-indeterminato-attualita-alternativa/|title=Contratto di lavoro a termine e contratto a tempo indeterminato: attualità di una alternativa|magazine=Rivista Labor|language=it|issue=3|publisher=Pacini Giuridica|issn=2533-0721|access-date=9 February 2022}} A reduction in the tax burden of about €80 was announced for those earning less than €1,500 per month.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/03/12/governo-renzi-dal-primo-maggio-80-euro-in-piu-a-chi-ne-prende-meno-di-1500/911340/|title=Governo, Renzi: 'Dal primo maggio 80 euro in più a chi ne prende meno di 1500'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=12 March 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 30 April, Renzi and Marianna Madia, the Minister for the Public Administration, presented the guidelines for the reform of the public administration,{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=75525|url-status=dead|title=Riforma PA: vogliamo fare sul serio|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|date=12 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505015229/http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=75525|archive-date=5 May 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} which was approved by the Renzi Cabinet on 13 June,{{cite web|url=https://www.servizidemografici.com/13-giugno-2014-via-libera-alla-riforma-della-p-a.html|title=13 giugno 2014, via libera alla riforma della p.a.|website=Servizi Demografici|language=it|date=17 June 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.altalex.com/documents/leggi/2014/09/09/riforma-pa-e-modifiche-a-processo-telematico-il-testo-coordinato-in-gazzetta|title=Riforma Pa e modifiche a processo telematico: il testo coordinato in Gazzetta|work=Altalex|language=it|date=9 September 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} before becoming law on 7 August.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilquotidianodellapa.it/_contents/news/2014/agosto/1407424543483.html|title=Convertito il decreto sulla riforma della P.A.: ora 'é legge'|work=Il Quotidiano della Pubblica Amministrazione|language=it|date=7 August 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}}

File:Corteo FIOM.jpg against Renzi's labour market reforms.]]

In September 2014, the government sought approval for the Jobs Act, which provided for, among other things, the abolition of Article 18 of the Workers' Statute, which protected workers from unjustified dismissal.{{cite news|last1=Patriarca|first1=Fabrizio|last2=Tilli|first2=Riccardo|date=31 March 2017|url=https://www.eticaeconomia.it/decreto-poletti-jobs-act-e-esoneri-contributivi-cosa-e-cambiato-nel-mercato-del-lavoro-italiano/|title=Decreto Poletti, Jobs Act e esoneri contributivi: cosa è cambiato nel mercato del lavoro italiano?|work=Etica Economia|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} The proposal was criticised by organised labour, especially the largest trade union, the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), and its leaders Susanna Camusso and Maurizio Landini.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/economia/2014/09/19/affondo-della-camusso-contro-renzi-pensa-al-modello-thatcher_bd237904-3b43-484a-a595-aaf7173444f7.html|title=Lavoro, la battaglia sull'articolo 18, Cgil a Renzi: 'Basta insulti'|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=19 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Moreover, the left wing of the Democratic Party (PD), by then led by Renzi's rival and former PD secretary Pier Luigi Bersani, criticised the government for the reform, threatening to vote against it.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/09/21/articolo-18-renzi-avverte-il-pd-la-riforma-da-diritti-da-brunetta-soccorso-azzurro/1128197|title=Articolo 18, Renzi avverte il Pd: 'La riforma dà diritti'. Da Brunetta 'soccorso azzurro'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=21 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/09/23/jobs-act-7-emendamenti-dalla-minoranza-pd-articolo-18-al-quarto-anno-di-assunzione/1130416|title=Jobs Act, Bersani: 'Articolo 18 è dignità. Renzi governa col mio 25%'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=23 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 29 September, the National Committee of the PD voted to support the Jobs Act, despite the disagreements within the party, with 130 votes in favour, 20 against, and 11 abstaining.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/09/29/news/lavoro_jobs_act_articolo_18_direzione_pd_governo_renzi_scontro_riforme-96901542/|title=Jobs act, sì da direzione Pd. Minoranza divisa. Renzi: 'Pronto a confronto con i sindacati'|date=29 September 2014|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 9 October, the Senate voted to approve the Jobs Act, and the landmark reform passed with 165 votes in favour to 111 against, marking the first step for the most ambitious economic legislation of the eight-month-old government. Before the vote, Labour Minister Poletti was forced to cut his speech short due to the loud protests of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Lega Nord (Lega) oppositions, some of whom threw coins and papers.{{cite news|last=Zampano|first=Giada|date=8 October 2014|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/italys-renzi-wins-senate-confidence-vote-on-labor-proposals-1412819113|title=Italy's Renzi Wins Senate Confidence Vote on Labor Proposals|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=29 June 2015}} German chancellor Angela Merkel, who was visiting Milan and had been among the most vocal politicians regarding Italy's need for speedy economic reforms, said the labour law marked an "important step" to reduce "employment barriers" in the eurozone's third-largest economy.{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=9 October 2014|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/70668588-4f7c-11e4-a0a4-00144feab7de.html|title=Victory for Matteo Renzi as Italy's Senate backs labour reforms|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 25 October, almost one million people took part in a mass protest in Rome, organised by the CGIL in opposition to the labour reforms of the government. Some high-profile members of the left-wing faction of the PD, including Gianni Cuperlo, Stefano Fassina, and Giuseppe Civati, also participated in the protest.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-29771540|title=Italy job reforms: CGIL union organises mass protest|publisher=BBC|date=25 October 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 8 November, more than 100,000 public employees protested in Rome in a demonstration organised by the three largest trade unions in the country, the CGIL, the CISL, and the UIL.{{cite news|url=http://video.ilsole24ore.com/TMNews/2014/20141108_video_18584952/00026193-roma-statali-in-piazza-contro-governo-siamo-in-100mila.php|url-status=dead|title=Roma, statali in piazza contro governo: Siamo in 100mila|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=8 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120060217/http://video.ilsole24ore.com/TMNews/2014/20141108_video_18584952/00026193-roma-statali-in-piazza-contro-governo-siamo-in-100mila.php|archive-date=20 November 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 25 November, the Chamber of Deputies approved the Jobs Act with 316 votes; the M5S, Lega, and almost forty members of the PD abstained from the vote to protest against the reform.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/11/25/jobs-act-camera-approva-testo-opposizioni-non-partecipano-voto/1232369/|title=Jobs act, Camera approva testo. Fuori dall'Aula Fi, Lega, M5s e 40 deputati Pd|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=25 November 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 3 December, the Senate gave the final approval it needed to become law.{{cite news|last=Bertini|first=Carlo|date=4 December 2014|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2014/12/04/italia/politica/via-libera-al-senato-il-jobs-act-legge-abolito-larticolo-v3OTCKwP2ZcCCHeyDuof2J/pagina.html|title=Via libera al Senato, il Jobs act è legge: abolito l'articolo 18|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 24 June 2019.}}

In January 2017, the Jobs Act was taken to the Constitutional Court of Italy;{{cite news|url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/17_gennaio_09/jobs-act-verdetto-referendum-renzi-296eba62-d6aa-11e6-b48b-df5f96e3114a.shtml|title=Jobs act, il verdetto sul referendum Il tifo di Renzi per il sì della Consulta|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=9 January 2017|access-date=9 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 11 January 2017.}} Renzi and his supporters said that the law was necessary for job creation and to attract investors, while its critics responded that it diminished workers' rights without generating new jobs. The court rejected a petition, which received 3.3. million signatures, for a referendum to be held about the Job Acts.{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20170111/italy-court-rejects-labour-law-referendum/|title=Italy court blocks challenge to flagship Renzi reform|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=11 January 2017|access-date=9 February 2022}} In September 2018, the Jobs Acts was partially repealed after the same court declared the compensation rules for claims of unlawful dismissal to be unconstitutional,{{cite news|last=Colarusso|first=Gabriella|date=26 September 2018|url=https://www.repubblica.it/economia/2018/09/26/news/senza_sul_jobs_act_ecco_cosa_cambia-207420537/|title=Sentenza sul Jobs Act, ecco cosa cambia|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Martino|first=Enzo|date=3 October 2018|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2018/10/03/jobs-act-il-criterio-di-indennizzo-e-incostituzionale-cosi-crolla-uno-dei-pilastri-della-riforma-renzi/4664608/|title=Jobs act, il criterio di indennizzo è incostituzionale. Così crolla uno dei pilastri della riforma Renzi|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Covelli|first=Roberta|date=9 November 2018|url=https://www.fanpage.it/politica/la-corte-costituzionale-ha-smontato-il-jobs-act-di-renzi-e-anche-il-decreto-di-maio/|title=La Corte Costituzionale ha smontato il Jobs act di Renzi (e anche il decreto Di Maio)|work=Fanpage|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} on the grounds that these rules were not in line with the principles of "reasonableness and equality" and conflicted with the concept of "protection of work" as granted by Articles 4 and 35.{{cite web|last=Pavone|first=Attilio|date=21 January 2019|url=https://www.globalworkplaceinsider.com/2019/01/more-uncertainty-follows-the-italian-constitutional-courts-partial-repeal-of-the-jobs-act/|title=More uncertainty follows the Italian Constitutional Court's partial repeal of the Jobs Act|website=Global Workplace Insider|access-date=9 February 2022}} In July 2020, the court accepted the questions raised from the tribunals of Bari and Rome about the same matter, ruling the compensation rules to be in violation of the constitutional principles of equality, reasonableness, and job protection;{{cite web|url=https://tg24.sky.it/lavoro/2020/07/16/lavoro-jobsact-licenziamento|title=Consulta: no indennità licenziamento ancorata ad anzianità servizio|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=16 July 2020|access-date=9 February 2022}} it was the first time that a ruling was signed by three women.{{cite web|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/2020/07/16/sentenza-corte-costituzionale-firma-donne|title=Corte Costituzionale, la firma storica di tre donne sulla sentenza del Jobs Act|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=16 July 2020|access-date=9 February 2022}}

File:Renzi a Venezia 2015, 2.jpeg in Venice]]

In March 2014, the Renzi Cabinet approved the auctioning of a large number of luxury cars that were used to transport heads of state, including nine Maseratis, two Jaguar Cars, and various other cars such as BMWs and Alfa Romeos. Out of the 1,500 cars put up for sale, 170 sold immediately over eBay.{{cite news|last=Drange|first=Lene|date=29 March 2014|url=http://e24.no/utenriks/auksjonerer-bort-regjeringens-luksusbiler-paa-ebay/22842415|title=Auksjonerer bort regjeringens luksusbiler på Ebay|work=E24 Næringsliv|language=no|access-date=11 February 2022}} In April, as part of his wider industrial reforms, Renzi forced the chief executives of Italy's biggest state-owned companies, including Eni, Terna, Finmeccanica, Enel, and Poste italiane, to resign, citing a lack of public confidence in their leadership. He subsequently appointed women to the majority of new positions, making it the first time any woman had served as a chief executive of a state-owned company in Italy.{{cite news|last=Sanderson|first=Rachel|date=14 April 2014|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0a7a2fcc-c408-11e3-870b-00144feabdc0.html|title=Matteo Renzi forces sweeping change at state companies|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}} In April 2014, Renzi's cabinet introduced the so-called "Renzi bonus", a monthly allowance of €80, recognised to holders of a total annual income not exceeding €24,600.{{cite web|last=D'Andrea|first=Anna Maria|date=29 January 2021|url=https://www.informazionefiscale.it/bonus-renzi-80-euro-come-funziona|title=Bonus Renzi 80 e 100 euro, come funziona e cosa cambia in busta paga|website=Informazione Fiscale|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} The bonus, whose aim was to relaunch expenditures, was heavily criticised by the opposition, which labelled it as an "electoral baksheesh" for the 2014 European Parliament election.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2016/06/03/bonus-80-euro-renzi-una-mancia-elettorale-qualcuno-dice-dallo-a-me/2792175/|title=Bonus 80 euro, Renzi: 'Mancia elettorale? Qualcuno dice: 'Dallo a me'. 1,6 milioni di persone l'hanno ricevuto con il 730'|date=3 June 2016|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

On 1 August, Renzi launched a law decree called Unblock Italy, which was intended to facilitate the implementation of major projects, civil works, and infrastructure that were suspended at the time, and achieve further administrative simplification.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2014/08/29/renzi-launches-unblock-italy-decree-and-justice-reform_7768f707-5d62-452e-936e-0c64222fe9cc.html|title=Renzi launches Unblock Italy decree and justice reform|publisher=ANSA|date=29 August 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}} The centre of this was the Millegiorni,{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2014/08/31/renzi-via-a-1000-giorni.-passo-passoscardiniamo-sistema_106a8e2d-8f39-4990-b5fe-b08898db6e9c.html|title=Renzi svela il programma per i 1000 giorni|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=2 September 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}} or the Thousand Days Programme.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2014/09/16/renzis-1000-day-programme-is-last-chance-update-2_d0501109-1d68-4594-900b-daa31713c887.html|title=Renzi's 1,000 day programme is 'last chance' – update 2|publisher=ANSA|date=16 September 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2014/09/20/renzi-redux|title=Renzi redux|newspaper=The Economist|date=20 September 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}} On 1 September, Renzi launched the website passodopopasso.italia.it,{{cite news|url=https://www.corriere.it/foto-gallery/politica/14_settembre_01/renzi-lancia-sito-passodopopassoitaliait-18930242-31d0-11e4-a94c-7f68b8e9ffdd.shtml|title=Renzi lancia il sito passodopopasso.italia.it|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=1 September 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}} which allowed citizens to monitor the progress of the Millegiorni.{{cite news|url=https://www.lastampa.it/politica/2014/09/01/news/renzi-presenta-il-programma-dei-mille-giorni-1.35608780|title=Renzi presenta il programma dei 'mille giorni'|work=La Stampa|language=it|date=1 September 2014|access-date=6 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 11 July 2019.}} On 9 October, Renzi presented his first Finance Bill (Legge di Stabilità),{{cite web|last=Leone|first=Amedeo|date=20 October 2014|url=http://therword.info/towards-the-new-legge-di-stabilita-2015|url-status=dead|title=Towards the new Legge di Stabilità 2015|website=Ther Word|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330144713/http://therword.info/towards-the-new-legge-di-stabilita-2015/|archive-date=30 March 2016|access-date=8 February 2022}} which was approved by the European Commission on 28 October.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-29810370|title=European Commission to approve France and Italy budgets|publisher=BBC|date=28 October 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}} A €36 billion bill, it included the largest tax cuts in a year (€18 billion), as well as tax evasion fight, plus the €80 bonus; it was criticised by trade unions like the CGIL, the CISL, and FIOM, while the UIL was more positive and Confindustria supported it.{{cite news|last=Guerrera|first=Antonello|date=15 October 2014|url=https://www.repubblica.it/economia/2014/10/15/news/legge_stabilit_consiglio_dei_ministri_renzi_manovra_30_miliardi_tfr-98194170/|title=Legge di stabilità, manovra da 36 miliardi. Renzi all'Europa: 'Circostanze straordinarie per Italia'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=6 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.altalex.com/documents/news/2014/10/16/legge-di-stabilita-2015-renzi-la-manovra-taglia-18-miliardi-di-tasse|title=Legge di stabilità 2015, Renzi: la manovra taglia 18 miliardi di tasse|work=Altalex|language=it|date=16 October 2014|access-date=6 February 2022}}

In February 2015, with the economy continuing to stagnate, the government announced a plan to abolish rules that limit cooperative lenders' shareholders to one vote each at shareholder meetings regardless of the size of their holdings. The European Commission subsequently forecast that the Italian economy would begin to grow by the spring.{{cite news|last=Totaro|first=Lorenzo|date=13 February 2015|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-13/italy-fails-to-rebound-from-recession-challenging-premier-renzi|title=Italy's Economy Fails to Rebound|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=11 February 2022}} The government also announced the abolition of IRAP, a regional tax on production activities; discussing the 2016 Finance Bill, Renzi further promised to cancel IRPEF, IMU, and TASI, respectively taxes on individuals, public services, and residence,{{cite news|last=Zampano|first=Giada|date=15 October 2015|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/italys-prime-minister-renzi-outlines-budget-for-2016-1444923066|title=Italy's Prime Minister Renzi Outlines Budget for 2016|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/politica/11825803/Matteo-Renzi---Abolizione-Tasi.html|url-status=dead|title=Matteo Renzi: 'Abolizione Tasi e Imu, ridaremo ai Comuni quanto togliamo'|work=Libero Quotidiano|language=it|date=7 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202211/http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/politica/11825803/Matteo-Renzi---Abolizione-Tasi.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}} which was a flagship policy of the centre-right former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, and its tax-cutting 2016 budget was passed on 22 December despite concerns from the European Commission.{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Gavin|date=22 December 2016|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-budget-idUSKBN0U51WI20151222|title=Italy passes tax-cutting 2016 budget, dismissing EU doubts|publisher=Reuters|access-date=6 February 2022}} Additionally, Renzi raised the threshold for cash payments three times with the intention to boost the economy, promising that it would not help tax evasion, and described it as "a simple, fair, and liberal measure" that "simplifies" and "encourages consumption". In 2018, Minister of Economy and Finance Pier Carlo Padoan admitted that it was a mistake. A 2021 study by Bankitalia/Palazzo Koch concluded that the decision "increased the share of the illegal economy by 0.5 percentage points" and "a 1% increase in the use of cash leads to growth between 0.8% and 1.8%" of the black economy.{{cite news|last=Borzi|first=Nicola|date=2 November 2021|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/in-edicola/articoli/2021/11/02/bankitalia-la-soglia-di-renzi-sui-contanti-ha-favorito-il-nero/6376156/|title=Bankitalia: 'La soglia di Renzi sui contanti ha favorito il nero'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=19 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Frosina|first=Paolo|date=2 November 2021|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2021/11/02/contante-lo-studio-bankitalia-alzare-la-soglia-a-3mila-euro-ha-allargato-leconomia-illegale-renzi-garantiva-non-aiuta-levasione/6375921/|title=Contante, lo studio Bankitalia: 'Alzare la soglia a 3mila euro ha allargato l'economia illegale'. Renzi garantiva: 'Non aiuta l'evasione'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=19 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2022/02/17/tetto-al-contante-la-destra-rialza-la-soglia-a-2mila-euro-conte-no-alle-scorciatoie-per-il-malaffare-la-legalita-non-e-uno-slogan/6497613/|title=Tetto al contante, centrodestra rialza la soglia a 2mila euro e Salvini esulta. Conte: 'Per loro la legalità è solo uno slogan'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=17 February 2022|access-date=19 February 2022}}

In May 2015, the economy recorded growth of 0.3%, finally ending the Italian triple-dip recession.{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=28 May 2015|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7815f214-0453-11e5-95ad-00144feabdc0.html|title=Italy: Back on its feet|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}} In January 2016, Renzi highlighted an additional 500,000 jobs that he said had been created through his policies.{{cite news|last=Yardley|first=Jim|date=29 January 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/world/europe/matteo-renzi-italian-premier-pushes-for-a-place-at-europes-power-table.html|title=Matteo Renzi, Italian Premier, Pushes for a Place at Europe's Power Table|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 February 2022}} In October 2016, the Renzi government's proposed 2017 Finance Bill, an expansionary budget including deficit raising to cope with the earthquake and migrants emergencies, was seen as an increasing anti-Brussels rhetoric, having warned of disaster if it was rejected. In an interview with la Repubblica on 23 October, Padoan said: "Europe must choose which side to take. They can accept the fact that our deficit goes up from 2% to 2.3% (of gross domestic product) to tackle the earthquake and the migrant emergencies. Or they can choose the Hungarian way, which puts up walls against the migrants and must be rejected. That would be the beginning of the end." On 24 October, defending the budget law, Renzi said: "We want to address the needs of Italian citizens, not Brussels technocracy."{{cite web|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/euro-finance/news/italy-warns-of-disaster-if-europe-rejects-its-budget/|title=Italy warns of disaster if Europe rejects its budget|website=Euractiv|date=24 October 2016|access-date=6 February 2022}}

File:Renzi Napolitano.jpg]]

Upon becoming prime minister, Renzi stated that one of his most important tasks was to achieve constitutional reforms; by April 2014, Renzi's government presented a constitutional bill of government initiative.{{cite web|url=http://www.riformeistituzionali.gov.it/riforma-costituzionale/premessa|url-status=dead|title=Riforma constituzionale: Premessa|publisher=Department for Institutional Reforms|language=it|date=13 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417225452/http://www.riformeistituzionali.gov.it/riforma-costituzionale/premessa|archive-date=17 April 2016|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Celotto|first=Alfonso|year=2015|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/riforma-costituzionale-2014_(Il-Libro-dell'anno-del-Diritto)/|title=Riforma costituzionale 2014|website=Treccani|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} The Italian institutional framework had remained essentially unchanged since 1 January 1948, when the Constitution of Italy first came into force after being enacted by the Constituent Assembly of Italy on 22 December 1947,{{cite web|url=https://presidenza.governo.it/Governo/Costituzione/2_titolo1.html|title=La Costituzione della Repubblica Italiana: Parte seconda: Ordinamento della Repubblica|publisher=Presidency of the Council of Ministers|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/content/legislation-33_en|title=Legislation and official policy documents – Italy|date=9 October 2017 |publisher=European Education and Culture Executive Agency|access-date=9 February 2022}} and Renzi argued changes were necessary to make governments more stable; the system was created as a result of the Italian Fascist regime and to avoid such a repeat. The Italian Communist Party (PCI) pushed for unicameralism under proportional representation, being wary of unicameralism under majoritarian representation to avoid a tyranny of the majority and like part of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) seeing the Senate as a synonym of privilege and prospering in the Fascist regime's shadows, while the Christian Democracy (DC) party advocated bicameralism through a division of powers to avoid one-party hegemony. The Action Party, the DC, the Italian Republican Party, and part of the socialists won out over the PCI and dissident socialists, especially about the Senate.{{cite news|last=Messina|first=Dino|date=3 November 2017|url=https://lanostrastoria.corriere.it/2017/11/03/senato-come-e-perche-abbiamo-un-sistema-bicamerale/|title=Senato, come e perché abbiamo un sistema bicamerale|work=Corriete della Sera|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} The actually-existing system was not the intended result of the assembly, which came about through later political choices and conditions.{{cite news|last=Fabi|first=Gianfranco|date=30 August 2016|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/commenti-e-idee/2016-08-30/il-bicameralismo-perfetto-non-e-figlio-costituente-065005.shtml|title=Il bicameralismo perfetto non è figlio della Costituente|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}

The first stage of Renzi's reform package aimed to abolish the so-called "perfect bicameralism", which gave identical powers to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic; the reforms would substantially decrease the membership and power of the Senate. Constitutional reforms were in the air since April 2013, when then-President Giorgio Napolitano instituted a committee for reform to avoid the repeat of inconclusive legislative elections, as it had happened two months earlier.{{cite web|last=Jones|first=Erik|date=7 December 2016|url=https://www.ippr.org/juncture-item/renzis-gamble|title=Renzi's gamble: Italy's fundamental choice between representative and decisive government|publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research|access-date=11 February 2022}} Under the reforms, the Senate's power to force the resignation of the government by refusing to grant a vote of confidence would be removed; only a few types of bills, including the constitutional bills, constitutional amendments, laws regarding local interests, referendums, and the protection of linguistic minorities, would need to be passed by the Senate. In addition, the Senate could only propose amendments to bills in some cases, with the Chamber of Deputies always having the final word, and the membership of the Senate would be changed, with regional representatives appointed in a manner virtually identical to the Bundesrat of Germany.{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/europe/2014/01/25/renzis-tricky-bargain|title=Renzi's tricky bargain|newspaper=The Economist|date=25 January 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite magazine|url=http://documenti.camera.it/leg17/dossier/pdf/ac0500p.pdf|title=La riforma costituzionale – Schede di lettura|magazine=Gazzetta Ufficiale|language=it|issue=88|publisher=State Mint and Polygraphic Institute|date=15 April 2016|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 11 March 2014, the Chamber of Deputies approved both the plans to overhaul the Senate and the second stage of Renzi's constitutional reforms, a flagship electoral reform law that would see Italy's voting system overhauled.{{cite news|last=Davies|first=Lizzy|date=12 March 2014|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/12/italian-pm-matteo-renzi-electoral-reform-law-italy|title=Italian PM Matteo Renzi's electoral reform law clears first hurdle|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 26 March, despite objections raised by several parties in the coalition, it won a vote in the Senate on the bill reforming the provinces, with 160 voting in favour and 133 against.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilpost.it/2014/03/26/ddl-abolizione-riforma-province-delrio/|title=Il Senato ha approvato la riforma delle province|work=Il Post|language=it|date=26 March 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}}

On 6 May, the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Senate approved the government's bill on the Senate's reform.{{cite web|url=http://therword.info/724|url-status=dead|title=Italian Politics Made Simple: The Senate's Reform|website=Ther Word|date=17 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023024107/http://therword.info/724/|archive-date=23 October 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} Due to the ambitious reforms that provided for the Senate abolition, which would have led to, in the words of Valentino Larcinese, "a shift towards a de facto quasi-presidential system embedded in de jure parliamentary institutions",{{cite web|last=Larcinese|first=Valentino|date=4 November 2016|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2016/11/04/why-italians-should-reject-renzis-constitutional-reform/|title=Why Italians should reject Renzi's constitutional reform|publisher=London School of Economics|access-date=11 February 2022}} and an increase in the powers of the Prime Minister, plus a new electoral law, Renzi was accused by constitutionalists and politicians, among them Stefano Rodotà{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/07/17/rodota-avremo-un-governo-padrone-del-sistema-costituzionale/1062919/|title=Riforme, Rodotà: 'Avremo un governo padrone del sistema costituzionale'|last=Truzzi|first=Silvia|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=17 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} and Fausto Bertinotti,{{cite news|last=Romano|first=Luca|date=13 March 2014|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/bertinotti-renzi-sinistra-non-esiste-pi-1001224.html|title=Bertinotti: 'Con Renzi la sinistra non esiste più...'|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Preziosi|first=Daniela|date=28 June 2014|url=https://ilmanifesto.it/lordine-nuovo-di-renzi-autoritario-non-di-sinistra/|title=Bertinotti: 'L'ordine nuovo di Renzi. Autoritario, non di sinistra'|work=il manifesto|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}} of being an authoritarian and anti-democratic leader.{{cite web|last=Annunziata|first=Lucia|date=26 March 2014|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/lucia-annunziata/renzi-progetta-premierato-forte-gia-pratica_b_5037159.html|title=Renzi progetta un premierato forte e già lo pratica|work=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/04/29/riforme-renzi-abolizione-del-senato-entro-il-10-giugno/968063/|title=Riforme, Renzi: 'Abolizione Senato il 10 giugno'. Riforma Pa: 'Beccare fannulloni'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=29 April 2014|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Ercolessi|first=Giulio|date=20 September 2016|url=http://www.libertaegiustizia.it/2016/09/20/the-italian-constitutional-reform-how-renzi-is-putting-liberal-democracy-at-risk-a-critical-liberal-analysis/|title=The Italian Constitutional Reform: How Renzi is Putting Liberal Democracy at Risk. A Critical Liberal Analysis|publisher=Libertà e Giustizia|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}} Critics like the centre-left populist Five Star Movement (M5S) and its founder Beppe Grillo argued that the reforms would give too much power to the Prime Minister; the former centre-right prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has been controversial, argued the changes would "lead us straight toward a non-democracy." The Economist argued that the reforms would result in corrupted politicians being appointed in the Senate.{{cite magazine|last=John|first=Tara|date=1 December 2016|url=https://time.com/4584639/italy-referendum-2016-matteo-renzi/|title=What to Know About Italy's Constitutional Referendum|magazine=Time|access-date=9 February 2022}} Renzi and his government argued that the constitutional reform was long sought by the PCI and the political left; political scientist Nadia Urbinati commented that this was an oversimplification and that it was the political right that has attacked bicameralism, arguing that the reform had more in common with that of Lega Nord's Francesco Speroni in 1994.{{cite web|last=Urbinati|first=Nadia|date=24 May 2016|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/nadia-urbinati/partito-comunista-italiano-senato-della-repubblica-riforma-costituzionale_b_10114062.html|title=Non c'è il Pci alle origine di questa revisione del bicameralismo|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}. See also at [http://www.libertaegiustizia.it/2016/05/25/non-ce-il-pci-all-origine-di-questa-revisione-del-bicameralismo/ Libertà e Giustizia].

File:Renzi Mattarella 2015.jpg]]

In April 2014, Renzi proposed that Italy adopt what he called Italicum, a proportional representation voting system, with a majority bonus for the party which obtained over 40% of the vote in order to provide for stable and long-term government. To approve the new electoral law, which was opposed by the M5S and a minority of the PD, Renzi gained the support of Berlusconi, who was still the leader of Forza Italia (FI), despite having been expelled from the Senate due to his sentence for tax evasion. The alliance between Renzi and Berlusconi was named the Nazareno Pact, from the name of the street in Rome where the headquarters of the PD is located, where the two leaders met for the first time to discuss the reform.{{cite news|last=D'Esposito|first=Fabrizio|date=2 August 2014|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/08/02/patto-del-nazareno-la-clausola-segreta-di-renzi-e-berlusconi-prodi-mai-al-colle/1080139|title=Patto del Nazareno, la clausola segreta di Renzi e Berlusconi: 'Prodi mai al Colle'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}} The alliance, which included a secret clause stating that Berlusconi's rival and long-time centre-left leader Romano Prodi, a founder of the PD, would not become the president of the Italian Republic, fell apart and was called off by FI, in part due to the election of PD-backed, centre-left candidate Sergio Mattarella in the 2015 Italian presidential election.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/02/04/patto-nazareno-forza-italia-esplode-fa-saltare-lintesa-pd-ognuno-per-se/1396266/|title=Patto Nazareno, Forza Italia esplode e fa saltare l'intesa. Il Pd: 'Ognuno per sé'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=4 February 2015|access-date=10 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ilpost.it/2017/07/11/versione-renzi-elezione-mattarella/|title=La versione di Renzi sull'elezione di Sergio Mattarella|work=Il Post|language=it|date=11 July 2017|access-date=17 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Finzi|first=Fabrizio|date=6 December 2021|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2021/12/02/quirinale-2015-mattarella-al-colle-_d75adb1d-02b5-4e65-94b9-85ac3027f6c0.html|title=Quirinale 2015: Mattarella al Colle, il capolavoro di Renzi|publisher=ANSA|language=it|access-date=17 February 2022}}

Renzi was criticised by many within the PD's left-wing minority for the deal with Berlusconi, as well as by the M5S of Grillo, who said the Nazareno Pact was the proof that there are no differences between the Italian centre-left and centre-right.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/01/20/news/direzione_pd-76436260/|title=Legge elettorale, Renzi lancia 'Italicum'. Minoranza contro, ma proposta passa: neanche un no|date=20 January 2014|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}} Despite concern from some within the PD, Italicum was given final approval by the Senate on 27 January 2015 thanks to support from FI senators.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2015/01/27/news/italicum_gotor_annuncia_gruppo_senatori_pd_non_partecipa_a_voto-105915036/|title=Il Senato approva l'Italicum, Renzi: 'Il coraggio paga, andiamo avanti'|date=27 January 2015|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}}

On 28 April, concerned that the reform may not pass, Renzi announced he would hold a confidence vote to approve the electoral reform changes. The M5S, FI, and some left-wing PD members opposed this decision, with some seeking to draw comparisons between Renzi and Benito Mussolini.{{cite news|last=Landucci|first=Roberto|date=28 April 2015|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics-idUSKBN0NJ1NH20150428|title=Italy PM defies rebels with a confidence vote on election law|publisher=Reuters|access-date=9 February 2022}} It would be only the third time that an electoral law was twinned with a confidence vote after Mussolini's Acerbo law and the DC prime minister Alcide De Gasperi's "scam law".{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2015/04/29/italicum-per-mattarellum-si-largo-porcellum-a-maggioranza.-fiducia-solo-su-legge-truffa-i-precedenti_80b7453f-7404-4fd7-9ede-0a8aa36cc1f5.html|title=Italicum: Per Mattarellum sì largo, Porcellum a maggioranza. Fiducia solo su legge truffa, i precedenti|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=29 April 2015|access-date=10 February 2022}} On 4 May, the Chamber of Deputies approved Renzi's flagship electoral changes with 334 votes for and 61 votes against, the latter including a faction of the PD.{{cite news|last=Landucci|first=Roberto|date=4 May 2015|url=https://news.yahoo.com/italian-pm-renzi-promises-more-reform-once-electoral-104858825.html|title=Italy parliament passes Renzi's electoral reform|website=Yahoo! News|publisher=Reuters|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2015-04-29/l-articolo-1-italicum-italicum-via-luglio-2016-152840.shtml|title=9/12 Italicum/ Legge in vigore da luglio 2016|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=1 July 2016|access-date=9 February 2022}} The reform took full effect in July 2016;{{cite news|url=https://www.internazionale.it/notizie/2016/10/05/italicum-riforma-elettorale|title=Cosa prevede la legge elettorale Italicum|work=Internazionale|language=it|date=5 October 2016|access-date=9 February 2022}} however, it was found to be partially unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Italy in January 2017,{{cite news|url=https://www.ilpost.it/2017/02/10/motivazioni-corte-costituzionale-sentenza-italicum/|title=Perché l'Italicum è incostituzionale|work=Il Post|language=it|date=10 February 2017|access-date=19 February 2022}} and was then repealed and replaced by the Italian electoral law of 2017 (Rosatellum).{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=26 October 2017|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/10/26/news/legge_elettorale_verdini_noi_sempre_in_maggioranza_e_ci_resteremo_-179372181/|title=Il Rosatellum bis è legge dello Stato: via libera definitivo al Senato con 214 sì|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=19 February 2022}}

In a September 2015 interview in New York,{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2015-09-29/italy-prime-minister-matteo-renzi-on-senate-reform|title=Italy Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Senate Reform|publisher=Bloomberg|date=29 September 2015|access-date=19 February 2022}} Renzi said he did not need Berlusconi's votes for the reform, which he described as "a revolution", to pass.{{cite news|last1=Follain|first1=John|last2=Micklethwait|first2=John|date=29 September 2015|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-29/renzi-has-no-need-for-berlusconi-votes-on-key-senate-overhaul|title=Renzi Has No Need for Berlusconi Votes on Key Senate Overhaul|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=9 February 2022}} Having passed the Chamber of Deputies on 11 March 2015, the reforms to the Senate that would see its power diminished and membership changed were passed by the Senate on 13 October.{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=13 October 2015|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/49d553ec-71e3-11e5-9b9e-690fdae72044.html|title=Renzi wins Senate victory over Italy's political gridlock|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}} The vote was won by 176 votes to 16, with a large number of senators abstaining from the vote in protest at having to vote on abolishing many of their own powers. The last vote was held on 12 April 2016, when the Chamber of Deputies approved the reform with 361 votes, while the opposition abandoned the house.{{cite news|last=Ananasso|first=Agnese|date=12 April 2016|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2016/04/12/news/riforme_voto-137460476/|title=Riforma costituzionale, via libera della Camera: addio al bicameralismo perfetto. Ora il referendum|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 4 December, the reform was rejected in the 2016 Italian constitutional referendum and Renzi resigned as a result.{{cite news|last1=Giuffrida|first1=Angela|last2=Kirchgaessner|first2=Stephanie|date=5 December 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/04/matteo-renzis-future-in-the-balance-amid-high-turnout-in-italy-referendum|title=Italian PM Matteo Renzi resigns after referendum defeat|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 February 2022}}

{{see also|2015 European migrant crisis in Italy}}

File:Migranti sbarcati in Italia 1997-2016.png arriving by boat in Italy from 1997 to 2016]]

As a result of the Libyan and Syrian Civil Wars, a major problem faced by Renzi upon becoming prime minister was the high levels of illegal immigration to Italy. 2014 saw an increase in the number of migrants rescued at sea being brought to southern Italian ports, with the increase in the number of migrants prompting criticism of Renzi by the anti-immigration Lega Nord, the Five Star Movement, and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33055771|title=Italy PM Renzi attacks northern regions for refusing migrants|publisher=BBC|date=8 June 2015|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/23/italy-coastguard-3000-migrants-rescued-one-day|title=Italy coastguard: 3,000 migrants rescued in one day in Mediterranean|website=The Guardian|publisher=Agence France-Presse|date=23 August 2015|access-date=2 February 2022}} On 8 August, the Renzi Cabinet approved a law-decree providing for the international protection of migrants. In November 2014, Renzi ordered the Italian-run rescue option Operation Mare Nostrum to be replaced by Frontex's Operation Triton due to the refusal of several EU governments to fund it. In 2014, 170,100 migrants arrived in Italy by sea, a 296% increase compared to 2013. 141,484 of the travellers were ferried over from Libya. Most of the migrants had come from Syria, Eritrea, and various countries in West Africa.{{cite web|url=https://pagellapolitica.it/dichiarazioni/analisi/5221/paolo-gentiloni|url-status=dead|title=Analisi: Paolo Gentiloni|website=Pagella Politica|language=it|date=22 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921191502/https://pagellapolitica.it/dichiarazioni/analisi/5221/paolo-gentiloni|archive-date=21 September 2015|access-date=10 February 2022}}

From January to April 2015, about 1,600 migrants died on the route from Libya to Lampedusa, making it the deadliest migrant route in the world.{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/about-700-believed-dead-in-shipwreck-off-libya-says-unhcr-1429432174|title=Hundreds of Migrants Believed Dead in Shipwreck Off Libya, Says UNHCR|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=19 April 2015|access-date=10 February 2022}} On 19 April 2015, a migrant shipwreck took place in the Mediterranean Sea, causing the death of more than 700 migrants from North Africa.{{cite news|url=https://www.rainews.it/archivio-rainews/articoli/Naufragio-Canale-Sicilia-pomeriggio-vertice-Ue-Lettonia-chiede-piu-fondi-Frontex-80d96d87-5917-4f3e-b574-40f3eb979dbf.html|title=Naufragio nel Canale di Sicilia, nel pomeriggio vertice Ue. Presidenza Ue: più fondi per Frontex|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=20 April 2015|access-date=10 February 2022}} Renzi, returning to Rome from a political event in Mantua for the 2015 Italian regional elections, held an emergency meeting with ministers and spoke by telephone to French president François Hollande, Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat,{{cite news|last=Pirone|first=Diodato|date=19 April 2015|url=https://www.ilmattino.it/primopiano/cronaca/strage_migranti_renzi_vertice_ministri_ue-986498.html|title=Strage migranti, Renzi: 'Pronti a bloccare la partenza dei barconi verso l'Italia'|work=Il Mattino|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} and Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras.{{cite web|url=https://archivio.lasiciliaweb.it/articolo/128414/esteri/renzi-chiama-hollande-salvini-attacca-tragedia-annunciata|title=Tsipras telefona a Renzi|website=Lasiciliaweb.it|language=it|date=19 April 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}} The call led to an emergency meeting of European interior ministers to address the problem of migrant deaths. In a speech addressing immigration, Renzi condemned human trafficking as a "new slave trade".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32374027|title=Italian PM Matteo Renzi condemns 'new slave trade' in Mediterranean|publisher=BBC|date=19 April 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}} About the crisis, Renzi said: "Europe is the greatest political victory of the twentieth century, but it is fuelled by ideals, not by the short-sightedness of those who would raise walls. Europe is in danger of collapsing when it becomes simply a set of self-interests." In January 2016, his Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said: "A choice must be made between Dublin and Schengen. Both agreements cannot hold today."{{cite web|last=Lanni|first=Alessandro|date=31 January 2016|url=https://openmigration.org/en/op-ed/from-dublin-to-schengen-the-battle-with-the-eu-that-matteo-renzi-lost/|title=From Dublin to Schengen, the battle with the EU that Matteo Renzi lost|website=Open Migration|access-date=9 February 2022}}

{{main|Recognition of same-sex unions in Italy}}

File:Matteo Renzi June 2016.jpg

On 10 June 2015, the Chamber of Deputies passed a motion obliging the government to approve a bill regarding civil unions between same-sex couples. Previously, all of the major political parties in Italy had presented different motions on civil unions, which were all rejected except for the PD's, which also called for civil unions to be approved. Shortly before becoming prime minister, Renzi stated that he favoured the introduction of civil unions for same-sex couples.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/06/10/diritti-gay-camera-approva-mozione-pd-legge-unioni-civili-impegno-del-governo/1765935/|title=Diritti gay, Camera approva mozione Pd: 'Legge unioni civili, impegno del governo'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=10 June 2015|access-date=23 July 2015}} In July 2015, several days after the European Parliament passed a motion calling on all members of the European Union to recognise same-sex relationships, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy was violating the Convention on Human Rights by not recognising same-sex couples' "right to family life".{{cite web|url=http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-156265|title=Case of Oliary and Others v. Italy|publisher=European Court of Human Rights|date=21 July 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Kirchgaessner|first=Stephanie|date=21 July 2015|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/21/italy-violates-human-rights-of-same-sex-couples-court-rules|title=Italy violates human rights of same-sex couples, court rules|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 February 2022}}

On 7 October, Renzi introduced a bill to the Italian Parliament that would establish same-sex civil unions and gender-neutral cohabitation agreements. The bill passed its first reading in the Senate a week later.{{cite web|url=http://www.senato.it/leg/17/BGT/Schede/Ddliter/46051.htm|title=Parlamento Italiano – Disegno di legge S. 2081 – 17ª Legislatura|publisher=Senate of the Republic|language=it|date=7 October 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}} Although Renzi secured the support of the PD and the main opposition Forza Italia party, many conservative and Catholic members of parliament from both parties, including one of its coalition partners, the New Centre-Right (NCD), criticised the bill.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2015/10/13/senate-to-examine-civil-unions-bill-on-wednesday-2_efc1af0c-fba6-4cf9-bcb6-0d7033f2e2a5.html|title=Senate to examine civil unions bill on Wednesday (2)|publisher=ANSA|date=13 October 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20160512/why-not-everyone-is-happy-with-italys-civil-unions-bill/|title=Why not everyone is happy with Italy's civil unions bill|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=12 May 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} Despite the bill being put forward on a free vote, Renzi made it clear that he would tie the civil unions bill to a vote of confidence in his government if it did not pass.{{cite news|last=Jones|first=Gavin|date=24 February 2016|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-gaymarriage-idUSKCN0VX2T9|title=Italy's Renzi calls confidence vote on gay unions bill|publisher=Reuters|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36269605|title=Italian MPs back same-sex unions in vote for Renzi|publisher=BBC|date=11 May 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}}

Following months of public and parliamentary debate,{{cite news|last=Yardley|first=Jim|date=25 January 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/world/europe/italy-divided-over-effort-to-legalize-civil-unions-for-gays.html|title=Italy Divided Over Effort to Legalize Civil Unions for Gays|work=The New York Times|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20160128/why-italy-has-no-choice-but-to-pass-gay-unions-bill/|title=Why Italy has no choice but to pass gay civil unions bill|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=28 January 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} the Senate voted in favour of Renzi's proposals to legalise civil unions on 25 February 2016, with 173 votes in favour and 71 against.{{cite news|last=Vogt|first=Andrea|date=25 February 2016|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12173813/Italys-Renzi-wins-confidence-vote-on-same-sex-unions-bill.html|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|title=Italy's Renzi wins confidence vote on same-sex unions bill|work=The Telegraph|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/12173813/Italys-Renzi-wins-confidence-vote-on-same-sex-unions-bill.html|archive-date=12 January 2022|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} An amendment known as the "stepchild adoption" provision that would have granted parental rights to a non-biological parent in a same-sex union was taken out of the bill at the last moment after it became clear a majority of senators did not support it.{{cite news|last=Kirchgaessner|first=Stephanie|date=25 February 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/25/italy-passes-watered-down-bill-recognising-same-sex-civil-unions|title=Italian senate passes watered-down bill recognising same-sex civil unions|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 February 2022}} Although Renzi had expressed support for the amendment, the decision came after the Five Star Movement backed out of an agreement to pass it; moreover, the amendment was opposed by the NCD.{{cite news|last=Kirchgaessner|first=Stephanie|date=24 February 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/24/italy-close-to-landmark-vote-in-favour-of-same-sex-civil-unions|title=Italy close to landmark vote in favour of same-sex civil unions|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 February 2022}} Renzi stated that the bill's passage through the Senate was a "victory for love", although he expressed disappointment that the stepchild provision was not also adopted, and raised the possibility of introducing it in a separate bill at a later date.{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=25 February 2016|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbbd4642-dc06-11e5-9ba8-3abc1e7247e4.html|title=Matteo Renzi hails civil union 'victory for love'|work=Financial Times|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 11 May, the Chamber of Deputies approved the final proposals, with 369 votes in favour and 163 against.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36269605|title=Italian MPs back same-sex unions in vote for Renzi|publisher=BBC|date=11 May 2016|access-date=9 February 2022}}

Renzi's so-called "schools package" was among its 1,000 days reforms to kickstart the Italian economy, and included hiring based on merit rather than seniority, favouring full-time hiring over substitutes, and increasing teachers for disabled children.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2014/09/02/ansa-renzi-sketches-school-revamp-as-reform-drive-continues_c0a1d31d-181c-438e-ab58-36f4a21acb0c.html|title=Renzi sketches school revamp as reform drive continues|publisher=ANSA|date=2 September 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} During a press conference on 3 September 2014, Renzi announced an online consultation with students, teachers, and citizens ahead of the major school reforms promoted by education minister Stefania Giannini.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/scuola/2014/09/03/news/scuola_renzi_lancia_riforma_soldi_per_istruzione_non_spesa_ma_investimento-94917874/|title=Scuola, Renzi: 'Riforma non del premier o ministro, ma di tutti'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=3 September 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2014/09/02/scuola-renzi-non-ennesima-riforma-ma-patto-educativo_8f50755c-0a2d-4f80-b7da-855a202ab050.html|title=Scuola: Renzi, non ennesima riforma ma patto educativo|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=2 September 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 9 July 2015, despite the opposition of an overwhelming majority of teachers and students alike to the design of the school reform, this was finally approved by the Chamber of Deputies, with 277 votes against 173.{{cite news|last=Riccardi|first=Katia|date=9 July 2015|url=http://www.repubblica.it/scuola/2015/07/09/news/ddl_scuola_voto_finale-118691645/|title=Ddl 'Buona scuola' è legge. Ma è caos nel Pd: solo 277 voti. A favore 4 verdiniani|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=9 February 2022}}

During a ceremony at the Italian National Olympic Committee on 1 December 2014, Renzi officially launched the candidacy of Rome for the 2024 Summer Olympics.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/sport/vari/2014/12/15/news/olimpiadi_roma_2024_renzi_malago-102923893|title=Olimpiadi 2024, Renzi: 'Ufficiale candidatura di Roma e dell'Italia'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=15 December 2014|access-date=9 February 2022}} Renzi stated: "Our country too often seems hesitant. It's unacceptable not to try or to renounce playing the game. Sport in Italy is a way of life and a way of looking at the future. I don't know if we’ll make it, but the Olympic candidacy is one of the most beautiful things we can do for our kids, for us, for Italy."{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=15 December 2014|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/817a0822-846f-11e4-bae9-00144feabdc0.html|title=Renzi goes for gold with Rome's Olympic bid|work=Financial Times|access-date=9 February 2022}} On 21 September 2016, the mayor of Rome Virginia Raggi, a member of the Five Star Movement, told reporters the bid for the games would go no further. Raggi, having long been opposed to Rome hosting the games, cited ongoing financial troubles in the country as the main reason for cancelling the bid. She said hosting the games would be "irresponsible" and would only cause the city to fall into further debt.{{cite news|last=Reynolds|first=James|date=21 September 2016|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37432928|title=Rome 2024 Olympic bid collapses in acrimony|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 February 2022}}

{{main|Expo 2015}}

File:2015-05-01_NO_EXPO_(17332070512).jpg

During Renzi's premiership, Milan hosted the Universal Exposition;{{cite news|url=https://www.ilgiorno.it/milano/expo-2015/matteo-renzi-1.895729|title=Expo 2015, Matteo Renzi è soddisfatto: 'In un anno da scandalo a scommessa vinta'|work=Il Giorno|language=it|date=27 April 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last1=Carra|first1=Ilaria|last2=Gallione|first2=Alessia|last3=Liso|first3=Oriana|date=1 May 2015|url=https://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2015/05/01/news/expo_al_via_folla_ai_cancelli_pisapia_per_milano_sia_un_esplosione_di_capacita_prima_contestazione_degli_antagonisti-113287417/|title=Renzi apre l'Expo: 'Oggi inizia il nostro domani'. Il messaggio del Papa: 'Pane e lavoro per tutti'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} the themes were technology, innovation, culture, and traditions concerning food.{{cite web|url=http://www.expo2015.org/it/cos-e/il-tema|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503132103/http://www.expo2015.org/it/cos-e/il-tema|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 May 2014|title=Expo Milano 2015 – Nutrire il Pianeta, Energia per la Vita!|website=Expo 2015|date=May 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Participants to the Expo, hosted inside the Expo 2015 pavilions, included 145 countries, three international organisations, several civil society organisations, several corporations, and non-governmental organisations.{{cite web|url=http://www.expo2015.org/en/participants|url-status=dead|title=Expo Milano 2015 Participants|website=Expo 2015|date=May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502064935/http://www.expo2015.org/en/participants|archive-date=2 May 2014|access-date=3 February 2022}}

The opening of the Expo on 1 May 2015 was met with protest from anti-austerity activists, black bloc, and anarchists caused criminal damage, resulting in the police using tear gas. Expo also created some tensions with the Holy See and the Italian government; Pope Francis condemned the concept of Expo, saying that it "obeys the culture of waste and does not contribute to a model of equitable and sustainable development".{{cite news|last1=Day|first1=Michael|title=Milan Expo 2015: Rioting and tear gas mar the start of a 'brighter tomorrow' for Italy|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/milan-expo-2015-rioting-and-tear-gas-mar-the-startof-a-brighter-tomorrow-for-italy-10220036.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/milan-expo-2015-rioting-and-tear-gas-mar-the-startof-a-brighter-tomorrow-for-italy-10220036.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Independent|date=1 May 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}} As Vatican City invested €3 million to obtain its own pavilion at the event before his appointment to the papacy, Pope Francis said that although it is a good thing that the Church is involved in causes that battle hunger and promote cleaner energy, too much money was wasted on the Expo itself by Vatican City.{{cite web|last=Baglio|first=Francesco|date=27 April 2015|url=http://www.direttanews.it/2015/04/27/papa-francesco-si-arrabbia-per-i-soldi-spesi-dal-vaticano-per-lexpo/|title=Papa Francesco si arrabbia per i soldi spesi dal Vaticano per l'Expo|website=DirettaNews|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

{{main|August 2016 Central Italy earthquake|October 2016 Central Italy earthquakes}}

File:Terremoto centro Italia 2016 - Amatrice - farmacia (29033930040).jpg, 2016]]

At 03:36 CEST on 24 August 2016, an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale struck Central Italy. The epicentre was close to Accumoli, in an area near the borders of the Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, and Marche regions. The earthquake killed 298 people and left more than 4,500 homeless.{{cite web|last=Michelino|first=Michele|date=26 September 2016|url=http://www.pane-rose.it/files/index.php?c3:o49246:e1|title=L'Italia che affonda|website=Il pane e le rose|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}} On 1 September, Renzi appointed Vasco Errani, the former president of Emilia-Romagna who had been already a Special Commissioner during the 2012 Emilia earthquake, as Special Commissioner for Reconstruction.{{cite news|last=Capurso|first=Federico|date=1 September 2016|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2016/09/01/italia/cronache/terremoto-vasco-errani-nominato-commissario-straordinario-del-governo-baTVlbEubPFjEg43jY9VEP/pagina.html|title=Terremoto, Vasco Errani Commissario per la ricostruzione: 'Primo impegno la trasparenza'|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=10 February 2022}}

A magnitude 6.1 intraplate earthquake struck {{convert|3|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} west of Visso on 26 October at 21:18 local time (19:18 UTC). The earthquake, which occurred two months after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in August, struck about {{convert|30|km|mi|-1|abbr=on}} to the northwest of the August earthquake's epicentre.{{cite web|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us1000725y|title=M6.1 – 2 km NNW of Visso, Italy|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=26 October 2016|access-date=10 February 2022}} The civil protection estimated the consequences less dramatically than feared. According to official data, a man died because he had suffered a heart attack as a result of the quake.{{cite news|url=http://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/panorama/katastrophen/id_79379280/erdbeben-in-italien-ein-toter-ausmass-aktuell-noch-unklar.html|title=Ein Toter nach schweren Erdbeben in Mittelitalien|publisher=T-Online|language=de|date=27 October 2016|access-date=10 February 2022}}

A third large, shallow earthquake of USGS preliminary magnitude 6.6 struck {{convert|6|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} north of Norcia at 07:40 local time (06:40 UTC) on 30 October.{{cite web|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us1000731j|title=M6.6 – 6 km N of Norcia, Italy|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=30 October 2016|access-date=10 February 2022}} This quake was the largest in Italy in 36 years, since the 1980 Irpinia earthquake.{{cite news|last1=Blau|first1=Max|last2=Dewan|first2=Angela|date=30 October 2016|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/30/europe/italy-earthquake/index.html|title=Italy earthquake: 6.6-magnitude tremor rocks nation's center|publisher=CNN|access-date=10 February 2022}} The three earthquakes caused almost 100,000 homeless.{{cite news|last1=Boehler|first1=Patrick|last2=Wilson|first2=Caryn A.|date=24 August 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/24/world/europe/italy-earthquakes-history.html|title=Italy's History of Deadly Earthquakes|work=The New York Times|access-date=10 February 2022}}

{{see also|List of official trips made by Matteo Renzi}}

File:Official trips made by Matteo Renzi.svg]]

During his premiership, Renzi faced several challenging foreign policy situations, such as the European debt crisis, the civil war in Libya, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and the insurgency of the Islamic State in the Middle East. Renzi formed a close relationship with US president Barack Obama, supporting the 2014 military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant with hundreds of Italian troops and four Panavia Tornado aircraft, and also supporting sanctions after the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/11/16/news/tornado_italia_siria_iraq_stato_islamico_m5s_pinotti-100702315/|title=M5s: 'Il governo invia caccia contro l'Is senza autorizzazione'. Fonti esercito: solo ricognizione|date=16 November 2014|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi forged a positive relationship with Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe, who praised the economic policies of the Renzi government. A key ally of Renzi in the Mediterranean was Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi; the two leaders held many bilateral meetings where they discussed the problem of immigration to Italy and the increasing tensions in the Middle East and North Africa.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Gaza-Renzi-L-Italia-appoggia-la-proposta-egiziana-l-unica-possibile-per-uscire-dalla-crisi-a0210f65-b4ce-409e-a260-48d029754a1c.html|title=Gaza, Renzi: 'L'Italia appoggia la proposta egiziana'. Appello con Al-Sisi per il cessate il fuoco|date=8 February 2014|publisher=Rai|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In the European Union, Renzi had a close relationship with French president François Hollande and his Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who saw Renzi as a model for his Third Way policies.{{cite web|last=Chazot|first=Sylvain|date=6 July 2014|url=https://lelab.europe1.fr/Manuel-Valls-aime-bien-qu-on-le-compare-a-Matteo-Renzi-beaucoup-moins-a-Napoleon-15368|title=Manuel Valls aime bien qu'on le compare à Matteo Renzi, beaucoup moins à Napoléon|website=Le Lab|language=fr|access-date=3 February 2022}}

====Europe====

File:Renzi and Faymann 2.jpg in 2014]]

Following the 2014 European Parliament election in Italy, which saw the PD receive the highest number of votes of all the individual political parties contesting that election across the entire European Union, Renzi subsequently emerged as the most prominent leader of the PES.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.panorama.it/news/politica/elezioni-europee-risultati/|title=Elezioni europee: stravince Renzi – I risultati|magazine=Panorama|language=it|date=26 May 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} This was in opposition to German chancellor Angela Merkel, widely considered the de facto leader of the European People's Party; the two leaders have been referred to as Merkenzi.{{cite magazine|last=Balasubramanyam|first=Ranjitha|date=16 September 2013|url=http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2013/09/16/all-eyes-on-berlin/|title=All Eyes on Berlin|magazine=Foreign Policy|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi and Merkel had many bilateral meetings, the first on 17 March in Berlin, just a few weeks after Renzi's election as prime minister, where the two leaders discussed important reforms that the Italian government planned to make both in Italy and in the European Union.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2014/03/17/matteo-renzi-angela-merkel-incontro-berlino_n_4979658.html|title=Matteo Renzi Angela Merkel: il vertice a Berlino (diretta)|work=L'Huffington Post|language=it|date=17 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 22 January 2015, Merkel visited Renzi in his home city of Florence, where she publicly lauded the "impressive" reforms carried out by his government. On the following day, the two leaders held a joint press conference in front of Michelangelo Buonarroti's David.{{cite news|last=Donahue|first=Patrick|date=23 January 2015|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-23/merkel-lauds-italy-s-renzi-as-counterpoint-to-ecb-action.html|title=Merkel Lauds Italy's Renzi as Counterpoint to ECB Action|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Renzi Hollande 2015.jpeg in 2015]]

Renzi is seen as an ally of French president François Hollande of the Socialist Party. On 15 March 2014, Renzi met Hollande in Paris, agreeing with him a common economic policy focused not only on the austerity measures imposed by the so-called European troika of the European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund but also on more flexible policies to promote economic growth in the European Union.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/renzi-europa-hollande-merkel-riforme-progetto-ambizioso-nodo-conti-pubblici-deficit-crescita-misure-0f3117ea-fcdb-4cf8-9d38-b76b8269f295.html|title=Parte il tour europeo di Renzi, oggi da Hollande|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=15 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.rai.it/dl/tg3/articoli/ContentItem-9c3f4271-bc2c-4840-9279-d23d71b361ce.html|title=Renzi: in Europa rischio populismi|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=19 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi is a close personal friend of French prime minister Manuel Valls, with the two leaders often regarded as being heirs of the Third Way politics espoused by the likes of Tony Blair.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Europa-A-Bologna-nasce-l-asse-latino-Renzi-Valls-Sanchez-contro-l-austerita-7d32f3ab-f2f8-4082-b381-0979f61ef96b.html|title=Europa, A Bologna nasce 'l'asse latino', Renzi, Valls e Sanchez contro l'austerità|date=9 July 2014|publisher=Rai|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 7 January 2015, after the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris which caused the death of 17 people, Renzi expressed horror and dismay, offering his best wishes to the people of France, noting his close relationships with the French prime minister and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2015/01/07/renzi-says-violence-always-loses_3ab98c4a-d2c9-49ea-ad14-91a19169c866.html|title=Renzi says 'violence always loses'|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=7 January 2015|access-date=2 February 2022}} On 11 January, he joined more than forty world leaders and three million people in the Republican marches organised by President Hollande.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cronaca/2015/01/11/charlie-hebdo-marcia-a-parigi-renzi-paura-non-ci-ferma_3d8ad937-3c1e-4b13-a2bf-6eb5d2358851.html|title=Charlie Hebdo: marcia a Parigi, Renzi: 'Paura non ci ferma'|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=11 January 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi built a constructive relationship with the British prime minister David Cameron of the Conservative Party. During their first meeting on 1 April 2014, Cameron stated that the reforms planned by Renzi were "ambitious" and that together the two men would be able to change the European Union.{{cite news|last=Malaguti|first=Andrea|date=1 April 2014|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2014/04/01/italia/politica/renzi-incontra-cameron-a-londra-2A0WYAKFXpvLLQs4hI7kJJ/pagina.html|title=Renzi: 'Lavoro, serve più flessibilità' E incassa la benedizione di Cameron|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 11 July 2019.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/politica/2014/notizia/renzi-investimenti-stanno-tornando_2036903.shtml|title=Renzi: investimenti stanno tornando|website=Tgcom24|language=it|date=1 April 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On the same day, Renzi also met Blair, the former British prime minister whom Renzi had previously called a political inspiration to him.{{cite news|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/04/01/renzi-in-gran-bretagna-cameron-matteo-ha-un-piano-ambizioso/|url-status=dead|title=Renzi a Londra incontra anche Blair. Cameron: 'Matteo ha un piano ambizioso'|work=Europa|language=it|date=1 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808062700/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/04/01/renzi-in-gran-bretagna-cameron-matteo-ha-un-piano-ambizioso/|archive-date=8 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 2 October, Renzi held a press conference with Cameron in 10 Downing Street, with Cameron lauding their similar policies to reform the European Union and overcome the economic crisis.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/10/02/news/renzi_alla_city_di_londra_sono_qui_a_portare_risultati_riforme-97141775/|title=Renzi alla Merkel: 'Non tratti gli altri come scolaretti'. Alla City: 'Italy is back'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=2 October 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 1 August, following his party's strong showing in the European Parliament elections, Renzi nominated his Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini as a candidate to be the new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the incoming-European Commission to be led by Jean-Claude Juncker, the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg. Mogherini was eventually successfully confirmed as the High Representative, ensuring that Italy controlled one of the two most senior posts in the European Commission.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/europa/notizie/rubriche/altrenews/2014/07/31/ue-renzi-mogherini-candidata-ufficiale-a-lady-pesc-_7068ad5e-87dc-41c5-b0ac-b29f56775d93.html|title=Ue: Renzi, Mogherini candidata ufficiale a Lady Pesc|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=31 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/08/01/ue-lettera-di-matteo-renzi-a-juncker-mogherini-candidata-pesc-per-litalia/1079038/|title=Ue, lettera di Matteo Renzi a Juncker: 'Mogherini candidata Pesc per l'Italia'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Obama, Cameron, Merkel, Hollande and Renzi at Herrenhausen Palace.jpg leaders in 2016]]

In September, Renzi participated in the 2014 Wales summit. Before the official start of the summit, he had discussions with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, US president Barack Obama, and the other three leaders of the European G4 to discuss the crisis with Russia.{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/poroshenko-to-brief-world-leaders-before-nato-summit-114090400040_1.html|title=Poroshenko to brief world leaders before NATO summit|website=Business Standard|publisher=Agence France-Presse|date=14 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914005125/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/poroshenko-to-brief-world-leaders-before-nato-summit-114090400040_1.html|archive-date=14 September 2014|access-date=3 February 2022}} This summit was the first held after the Russian military intervention in Ukraine and the 2014 Iraq conflict with the Islamic State of Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/estero/notizie/vertice_nato_su_ucraina_iraq_rasmussen_mosca_sta_attaccando_kiev-201409041241-est-rt10072|url-status=dead|title=Vertice Nato su Ucraina e Isis Renzi 'sostegno concreto a Kiev'|publisher=AGI|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402173926/http://www.agi.it/estero/notizie/vertice_nato_su_ucraina_iraq_rasmussen_mosca_sta_attaccando_kiev-201409041241-est-rt10072|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 3 February 2015, Renzi received the newly elected Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras of SYRIZA in Rome. The two leaders held a joint press conference expressing concerns about austerity measures imposed by the European Commission and stated that economic growth is the only way to solve the crisis. After the press conference, Renzi presented Tsipras with an Italian tie as a gift. Tsipras, who was notable for refusing to ever wear a tie, thanked Renzi and said he would wear the gift in celebration after Greece had successfully renegotiated the austerity measures.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/economia/2015/02/03/news/tsipras_continua_il_tour_anti-austerit_oggi_a_palazzo_chigi_incontra_renzi-106424199/|title=Tsipras, il tour anti-austerità a Roma. Padoan: 'Crescita priorità per la Grecia'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=3 February 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Similar to his predecessors, Renzi continued the long-standing Italian policy of a close relationship with the United States, building a partnership with President Barack Obama. Italy supported the United States in the military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and participated in the international sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis against Russia following their invasion of East Ukraine.{{cite news|last=Romano|first=Luca|date=26 April 2014|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/esteri/ucraina-pronte-sanzioni-pi-dure-russia-e-renzi-vede-1014197.html|title=Ucraina, sanzioni più dure per la Russia. E Renzi vede Yatseniuk|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Barack Obama and Matteo Renzi October 2016, 1.jpg at the White House in October 2016]]

Renzi met Obama for the first time on 24 March 2014 during the latter's trip to Rome. Renzi also held a joint meeting with Obama, Pope Francis, and Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.{{cite news|url=https://www.lastampa.it/esteri/2014/03/27/news/obama-a-roma-emozionato-dal-papa-1.35782782|title=Obama a Roma: 'Emozionato dal Papa' A Renzi: fiducia nelle riforme italiane|date=27 March 2014|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 11 July 2019.}} Obama stated afterwards that he had been impressed by the reforms Renzi wanted to undertake.{{cite news|last=Biondi|first=Lorenzo|date=27 March 2014|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/03/27/yes-we-can-vale-oggi-per-litalia-lincontro-renzi-obama-a-roma/|url-status=dead|title='Yes we can, vale oggi per l'Italia'. L'incontro Renzi-Obama a Roma|work=Europa|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403192802/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/03/27/yes-we-can-vale-oggi-per-litalia-lincontro-renzi-obama-a-roma/|archive-date=3 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/03/27/renzi-a-obama-per-me-e-per-la-mia-squadra-e-fonte-di-ispirazione/928759/|title=Obama: 'Su Difesa si può risparmiare. Ma Ue spende poco rispetto a Usa'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=27 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi himself said that he considered Obama an example of the policies he wanted to achieve.{{cite news|url=http://www.corriere.it/cronache/14_marzo_27/renzi-obama-fonte-ispirazione-0a04332e-b5b4-11e3-88c9-f5f1afba752a.shtml|title=Renzi: 'Obama per noi un modello'|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=27 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 22 September, Renzi visited Silicon Valley in California. In San Francisco, he met with young Italian emigrants who have created startup companies in the United States.{{cite news|last=Rampini|first=Federico|date=22 September 2014|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2014/09/22/news/i_cervelli_italiani_emigrati_nella_silicon_valley_spiegheremo_a_matteo_come_attirare_i_talenti-96368344/|title=I cervelli italiani emigrati nella Silicon Valley: 'Spiegheremo a Renzi come attirare i talenti'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} He also visited the headquarters of Twitter, Google, and Yahoo! to hold talks with chief executives.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Italian-Prime-Minister-Matteo-Renzi-visits-5773273.php|title=Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visits Twitter's S.F. office|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=23 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 23 September 2014.}} Renzi was accompanied by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and George Shultz, and by the former American ambassador to Italy Ronald P. Spogli.{{cite news|last=Mastrovilli|first=Paolo|date=22 September 2014|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2014/09/22/italia/politica/cena-a-stanford-per-renzi-oggi-alla-silicon-valley-hCzgCJMfaHumDjWqFuPReO/pagina.html|title=Cena a Stanford per Renzi, poi un tour digitale nelle sedi di Twitter, Yahoo e Google|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 24 June 2019.}} He later spoke at Stanford University as the guest of university president John L. Hennessy.{{cite news|last1=Chioda|first1=Eleonora|last2=Platero|first2=Mario|date=22 September 2014|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-09-22/renzi-silicon-valley-090211.shtml|title=Renzi a Stanford: impegno per un'Italia più aperta al mondo e all'innovazione tecnologica|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

The following day, Renzi spoke at a United Nations summit in New York City, focusing on the problem of climate change.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Renzi-al-summit-di-New-York-I-cambiamenti-climatici-sono-la-sfida-del-nostro-tempo-63e0de06-1c3a-4a1a-8c7c-feb2e360a58a.html|title=Renzi al summit di New York: 'I cambiamenti climatici sono la sfida del nostro tempo'|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=24 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Following the summit, Renzi met former president Bill Clinton and his wife, the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.{{cite news|last=Conti|first=Marco|date=23 September 2014|url=https://www.ilmattino.it/primopiano/esteri/matteo_renzi_new_york_clinton_clima_america_usa-604004.html|title=Renzi a New York, incontro con i coniugi Clinton e l'assemblea dell'Onu|work=Il Mattino|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} At the end of his trip, Renzi participated in a reception hosted by Obama.{{cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.it/politica/2014/09/23/renzi-a-new-york-via-al-vertice-onu-su-clima-e-incontro-con-ban-ki-moon/|title=Renzi a New York: Via al vertice Onu su clima e incontro con Ban Ki-moon|publisher=LaPresse|language=it|date=23 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi was received at the White House in April 2015. He and President Obama discussed many issues, including the war in Donbas, the Libyan Civil War, and ISIL. They discussed Europe's economy, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and climate change and energy security.{{cite news|last=Superville|first=Darlene|date=17 April 2015|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2015/04/17/obama-italian-prime-minister-renzi-to-meet-at-white-house|title=Obama, Italian Prime Minister Renzi Meet at White House|website=U.S. News & World Report|publisher=Associated Press|access-date=11 February 2022}} In October 2015, the Italian government announced that it would prolong its military presence in Afghanistan along with the United States Army in order to continue its security mission and prevent the rise of Islamist forces such as Al-Qaeda and ISIL.{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20151020/italy-willing-to-keep-troops-in-afghanistan/|title=Italy willing 'to keep troops in Afghanistan'|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=20 October 2015|access-date=1 February 2022}}

On 18 October 2016, President Obama invited Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini to attend an official state dinner at the White House. The two men held a joint press conference during which Obama, the dinner being his final state visit as the United States president, commented that he had "saved the best for last", and the two reiterated their support for one another.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/19/under-pressure-italian-pm-gets-star-treatment-on-white-house-visit|title=Under pressure Italian PM gets star treatment on White House visit|website=The Guardian|publisher=Associated Press|date=18 October 2016|access-date=1 February 2022}}

Renzi built up a close relationship with Japanese prime minister Shinzō Abe; the two Prime Ministers were both against austerity and seeking to reform the constitutions of their countries.{{cite news|last=Carrer|first=Stefano|date=1 August 2015|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/mondo/2015-08-01/renzi-due-giorni-tokyo-e-kyoto-rafforzare-rapporti-il-giappone-093357.shtml|title=Renzi, 48 ore tra Tokyo e Kyoto per rafforzare i rapporti con il Giappone|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 6 June 2014, Renzi received Prime Minister Abe in Rome. Abe publicly congratulated Renzi for the economic and constitutional reforms being delivered by Renzi's government. The two leaders also met in Tokyo in August 2015 and discussed relations with China and the stability of East Asia.{{cite news|last=D'Emilia|first=Pio|date=5 June 2014|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/06/05/matteo-renzi-incontra-shinzo-abe-tokyo-cerca-solidarieta-contro-pechino/1013871/|title=Matteo Renzi incontra Shinzo Abe: Tokyo cerca 'solidarietà' contro Pechino|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi in Russia.jpeg

On 9 June, Renzi travelled to Hanoi, Vietnam, to meet with President Trương Tấn Sang, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng, and the Communist Party of Vietnam's general secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to sign economic treaties worth around US$5 billion to the Italian economy.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/photogallery/primopiano/2014/06/09/storica-visita-di-renzi-in-vietnam-prima-volta-di-un-premier-italiano_9b5f1510-ccdd-4248-a60e-a81064d3432e.html|title=Storica visita di Renzi in Vietnam, prima volta di un premier italiano|date=9 June 2014|publisher=ANSA|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Di Pillo|first=Laura|date=9 June 2014|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-06-09/renzi-ad-hanoi-obiettivo-interscambio-5-miliardi-dollari-145537.shtml|title=Renzi ad Hanoi: ballottaggi? Risultato straordinario, è la fine di posizioni di rendita|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} In doing so, Renzi became the first Italian prime minister to officially visit Vietnam since 1973, when diplomacy first began between Italy and North Vietnam.{{cite news|url=http://www.corriere.it/foto-gallery/politica/14_giugno_09/renzi-missione-asia-tappa-ad-hanoi-66179e40-efba-11e3-85b0-60cbb1cdb75e.shtml|title=Renzi e la missione Asia, tappa ad Hanoi|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|date=14 June 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/201406091044-pol-rt10126-renzi_in_vietnam_la_prima_volta_di_premier_italiano|url-status=dead|title=Renzi in Vietnam, la prima volta di premier italiano|publisher=AGI|language=it|date=9 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402230753/http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/201406091044-pol-rt10126-renzi_in_vietnam_la_prima_volta_di_premier_italiano|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} During the visit, Renzi placed a wreath in the mausoleum of the former North Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/06/09/foto/_accoglienza_vietnamita_renzi_in_viaggio_verso_l_asia-88467062/1/|title=Renzi in Vietnam, le foto anche sui social network|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=9 June 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 11 June, Renzi met in Beijing with Chinese president Xi Jinping, who congratulated him for the "important reforms" being undertaken by his government.{{cite news|url=http://economia.ilmessaggero.it/flashnews/renzi-xi-jinping-un-altro-idillio/739365.shtml|url-status=dead|title=Renzi-Xi Jinping, un altro idillio|work=Il Messagero|language=it|date=11 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714142028/http://economia.ilmessaggero.it/flashnews/renzi-xi-jinping-un-altro-idillio/739365.shtml|archive-date=14 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Xi also stated that China would continue co-operation with Italy ahead of Expo 2015 in Milan.{{cite news|last=Barbera|first=Alessandro|date=11 June 2014|url=http://www.lastampa.it/2014/06/11/esteri/renzi-incassa-il-plauso-di-xi-jinping-congratulazioni-per-le-riforme-avviate-M7rKKrKy02gqhAJXqTzPfO/pagina.html|title=Renzi in Cina: dobbiamo aprirci di più|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022|postscript=. Updated 2 June 2019.}}{{cite news|last=Fatiguso|first=Rita|date=11 June 2014|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-06-11/renzi-incontra-xi-jiping-costruiamo-nuove-occasioni-collaborazione-105009.shtml|title=Renzi incontra Xi Jiping: costruiamo nuove occasioni di collaborazione|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Several months later in October, Renzi met with Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang in Rome to sign twenty treaties worth a total of €8 billion.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Italia-Cina-Renzi-Firmiamo-20-accordi-per-oltre-8-miliardi-68086ffb-4657-4714-b4c8-3787f506cabe.html|title=Italia-Cina, Renzi: '20 accordi per oltre 8 miliardi'|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=14 October 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 12 June, Renzi met Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana, where they discussed withdrawal of Italian Army from Afghanistan.{{cite news|last=Bertirotti|first=Alessandro|date=10 June 2014|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/mr-renzi-va-kazakhstan-1026426.html|title=Mr. Renzi va in Kazakistan|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilpost.it/2014/06/13/renzi-kazakistan/|title=Cosa è andato a fare Renzi in Kazakistan|work=Il Post|language=it|date=13 June 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 18 November, Renzi travelled to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, where he signed with Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow a number of economic pacts securing increased gas supply.{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/turkmenistan_renzi_con_ashgabat_amicizia_anche_oltre_il_gas-201411180900-ipp-rt10030|url-status=dead|title=Turkmenistan: Renzi, con Ashgabat 'amicizia' anche oltre il gas|publisher=AGI|date=18 November 2014|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402170009/http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/turkmenistan_renzi_con_ashgabat_amicizia_anche_oltre_il_gas-201411180900-ipp-rt10030|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

During his premiership, Renzi started a policy review which led to the creation of the Italy–Africa initiative, which included renewable energy cooperation and a new package of development aid in fields stretching from health care to culture; counterterrorism has been a key part of his agenda, but the East Africa region is also important to stop the migration flows from there to Italy through North Africa, especially Libya.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/trend-lines/16342/italy-tries-to-make-up-for-lost-time-in-africa|title=Italy Tries to Make Up for Lost Time in Africa|website=World Politics Review|date=29 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 4 March 2014, Renzi travelled to Tunisia, where he had a meeting with Mustapha Ben Jafar. With Jafar, Renzi discussed the problem of illegal immigration to Italy from the coasts of North Africa. The trip to Tunisia was the first official one made by Renzi as prime minister.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-03-04/il-premier-renzi-tunisi-la-sua-prima-visita-ufficiale-estero-155545.shtml|title=Renzi a Tunisi per la sua prima visita ufficiale all'estero: Mediterraneo al centro della presidenza italiana della Ue|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=4 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 18 March 2015, after the Bardo National Museum attack in Tunis, in which 28 people died and four of whom were Italians, Renzi condemned the terrorist attack and said that Italy is close to the Tunisian government and people.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/topnews/2015/03/18/tunisia-premier-renzi-condanna-attacco_7a138819-3fbc-46a2-be54-ffd0717be98b.html|title=Tunisia: premier Renzi condanna attacco|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=18 March 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}}

On 19 July, Renzi started a major trip to Africa, meeting the Mozambican president Armando Guebuza.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=76285|url-status=dead|title=Visita Renzi in Mozambico, Congo-Brazzaville e Angola|date=12 November 2015|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402043544/http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=76285|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi signed economic pacts to create investments by the Italian government-owned oil company Eni in the African country for US$50 billion.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/primopiano/politica/renzi_mozambico_eni_investimento_50_miliardi_descalzi_assicura_non_andremo_via_gela-505965.html|title=Renzi in Mozambico: 'Da Eni un investimento da 50 miliardi'. Descalzi assicura: 'Non andremo via da Gela'|work=Il Messagero|language=it|date=19 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/politica/2014/notizia/renzi-arrivato-in-mozambico_2058226.shtml|title=Matteo Renzi in Mozambico: 'Più investimenti nel Paese da parte dell'Italia'|website=Tgcom24|language=it|date=19 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} The following day, he visited the Republic of the Congo, where he met Congolese president Denis Sassou Nguesso, with whom he signed a co-operation for the extraction of oil in the country.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/renzi-africa-mozambico-angola-congo-9dfe2a0b-a3b5-4731-8add-151db22feb51.html|title=Renzi in Africa. Obiettivo: risorse energetiche ed export|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=19 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/topnews/2014/07/20/renzi-arrivato-in-congo-brazzaville_6f5254cc-dcaa-46bc-a0a0-ad2d6f969b96.html|title=Renzi arrivato in Congo Brazzaville|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=20 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.agi.it/estero/notizie/africa_eni_firma_accordo_in_congo_stasera_renzi_in_angola-201407201810-est-rt10052|url-status=dead|title=Africa: Eni firma accordo in Congo, stasera Renzi in Angola|publisher=AGI|language=it|date=20 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815173535/https://www.agi.it/estero/notizie/africa_eni_firma_accordo_in_congo_stasera_renzi_in_angola-201407201810-est-rt10052|archive-date=15 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Some journalists like Giuseppe Oddo criticised the meeting with Sassou Nguesso, who is considered one of the more corrupt dictators of Africa.{{cite web|last=Oddo|first=Giuseppe|date=21 July 2014|url=http://www.giuseppeoddo.net/renzi-fa-squadra-con-eni-e-va-in-congo-dal-dittatore-nessou-nguesso|title=Renzi fa squadra con Eni e va in Congo dal dittatore Sassou Nguesso|website=Finanza e Potere|access-date=21 August 2017}} Renzi later met with Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos in Luanda.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2014/07/21/renzi-in-angola-rafforzare-cooperazione-economica_272c49d7-afd6-4e3c-a625-abaf7fe0088f.html|title=Renzi in Angola, rafforzare cooperazione economica|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=21 July 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Genghini|first=Mario Lucio|date=22 July 2014|url=https://www.blogo.it/post/248445/renzi-rafforza-rapporti-economici-con-angola-ma-a-che-prezzo|title=Renzi rafforza i rapporti economici con l'Angola. Ma a che prezzo?|website=Blogo|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} During the visit, Renzi placed a memorial wreath in the mausoleum of Agostinho Neto, the first Angolan president.{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/italia_africa_al_via_missione_renzi_tra_politica_e_business-201407181949-pol-rt10169|url-status=dead|title=Italia-Africa: al via missione Renzi, tra politica e 'business'|publisher=AGI|language=it|date=18 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713140006/http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/italia_africa_al_via_missione_renzi_tra_politica_e_business-201407181949-pol-rt10169|archive-date=13 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 24 July, under the direction of Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, the government worked for the release of Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, a Sudanese woman had been who sentenced to death for being a Christian. Thanks largely to the good relations between Sudan and Italy, Ibrahim was released and permitted to fly to Italy on a government plane.{{cite news|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/fatti/esteri/2014/07/24/sudan-amb-italia-meriam-roma-grazie-amicizia-tra-nostri-paesi_ioyNOBhszIdBejVI5n9LRK.html|title=Sudan: amb. in Italia, Meriam a Roma grazie a amicizia tra nostri paesi|publisher=Adnkronos|language=it|date=24 July 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|last1=Elbagir|first1=Nima|last2=Messia|first2=Hada|last3=Smith Spark|first3=Laura|date=24 July 2014|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/24/world/europe/italy-sudan-christian-woman/index.html|title=Woman who faced death for faith is free|publisher=CNN|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 2 December, Renzi went to Algiers, where he met Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal. With the two leaders of the country, Renzi discussed the 2014 Libyan crisis, immigration from North Africa, and also about gas imports from Algeria as an alternative to Russian imports, following the tensions between the European Union and Russia.{{cite news|last=Politi|first=James|date=5 December 2014|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/ed33efb6-7bcc-11e4-b6ab-00144feabdc0.html|title=Italy's Renzi pivots to Africa for alternatives to Russian gas|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Renzi-in-Algeria-Il-Mediterraneo-al-centro-della-politica-estera-italiana-beeab1ad-9068-4878-94b0-fb74a2dae972.html|title=Renzi in Algeria: 'Il Mediterraneo al centro della politica estera italiana'|date=12 February 2014|publisher=Rai|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In January 2016, Renzi continued his policy toward Africa; he had a three-day trip to Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. The main tasks of this diplomatic trip were the fight against the Islamic terrorism and the European migrant crisis in the Mediterranean Sea;{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2016/01/31/renzi-africa_n_9126280.html|title=Renzi tris d'Africa|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|date=31 January 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}} with Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, Renzi signed an agreement on enhancing co-operation between the Nigerian Police and the Italian Police.{{cite web|url=http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2016/02/nigeria-italy-sign-pact-on-boosting-police-training-logistics/|title=Nigeria, Italy sign pact on boosting police training, logistics|work=TheNEWS|date=1 February 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi has been one of the strongest supporters of Libyan prime minister Fayez al-Sarraj and of his government of national union. In August 2016, la Repubblica reported that dozens of Italian special forces were operating in Libya for training and intelligence activities. These special forces were operating under the direct command of the Prime Minister's office.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2016/08/10/italian-special-forces-in-libya-sources_82ffd714-2b7e-4ecd-be11-ab4faf5161ba.html|title=Italian special forces in Libya training mission|date=10 August 2016|publisher=ANSA|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

File:Vladimir Putin with Matteo Renczi (2015-06-10) 1.jpg at the opening of Russia Day at Expo 2015]]

Russia had previously enjoyed a privileged relationship with Italy, particularly under the leadership of Silvio Berlusconi, who was a personal friend of Russian president Vladimir Putin.{{cite web|url=http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Politica_Estera/Aree_Geografiche/Europa/I_nuovi_rapporti.htm|url-status=dead|title=Italo-Russian Relations|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs|language=it|date=June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625041938/http://www.esteri.it/MAE/EN/Politica_Estera/Aree_Geografiche/Europa/I_nuovi_rapporti.htm|archive-date=25 June 2011|access-date=3 February 2022}} Following the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine in Ukraine, relations worsened. On 2 March, Renzi accused Putin of having committed "an unacceptable violation".{{cite news|last=Rame|first=Sergio|date=2 March 2014|url=http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/renzi-ammonisce-russia-violazione-inacettabile-997741.html|title=Renzi ammonisce la Russia: 'Una violazione inacettabile'|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Orlandi Posti|first=Nicoletta|date=2 March 2014|url=http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/esteri/11560140/L-Italia---Sovranita-violata.html|title=L'Italia: 'Sovranità violata in Crimea, inaccettabile'|work=Libero Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} During a speech to the Chamber of Deputies on 19 March, Renzi stated that the 2014 Crimean status referendum was illegal and that the G8 countries must start co-operating to solve the 2014 Crimean crisis and prevent a return to the Cold War.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2014/03/19/matteo-renzi-camera_n_4991717.html|title=Matteo Renzi alla Camera: 'Illegittimo il referendum in Crimea'|work=L'Huffington Post|language=it|date=19 March 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} In June, he subsequently participated in the 40th G7 summit in Brussels, the first one held after the suspension of Russia from the G8 following the annexation of Crimea in March.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27707518|title=G7 leaders warn Russia of fresh sanctions over Ukraine|publisher=BBC|date=5 June 2014|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Matteucci|first=Piera|date=5 June 2014|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2014/06/05/news/renzi_al_g7_fare_di_pi_per_sicurezza_energetica_parte_l_iniziativa_di_roma-88118384/|title=Renzi al G7: 'Chiusa fase austerity. Italia protagonista idee, non nei ruoli'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi phoned Putin on 28 August, asking him to stop the "intolerable escalation" and to reach a peace agreement with Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko to stop the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine in that regions.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Ucraina-Renzi-a-Putin-Intollerabile-escalation-9e0e498e-7528-45e5-9d1d-3cafc90f2aca.html|title=Ucraina, Renzi a Putin: 'Intollerabile escalation". Obama: 'Gravi costi per Russia'|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=29 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi and Putin also had a bilateral meeting on 16 October, when Renzi hosted the Asia–Europe Meeting in Milan with 53 other leaders of the world.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Vertice-Asem-a-Milano-53-tra-Capi-di-Stato-e-di-Governo-per-il-10-summit-tra-i-due-continenti-385ce257-bfde-4e20-99b1-9f257f07b353.html|title=Vertice Asem, a Milano 53 tra Capi di Stato e di Governo per il 10° summit tra Europa e Asia|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=16 October 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} During the 2014 G-20 Brisbane summit on 15 November, the two leaders had another meeting, where they discussed the war in Donbas but also on the civil wars in Libya and Syria.{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/mondo/2014/11/15/g20-renzi-crescita-non-solo-rigore_eef339cd-da4d-4481-a8ad-36f74b84b1aa.html|title=G20, obiettivo crescita del 2,1% entro il 2018. Ma è tensione sull'Ucraina|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=15 November 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 5 March 2015, Renzi met President Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow. The talks between the leaders were focused on international issues, such as the settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, the situations in the Middle East and in Libya, as well as fighting terrorism.{{cite news|last1=Daragahi|first1=Borzou|last2=Hille|first2=Kathrin|last3=Politi|first3=James|date=5 March 2015|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c1ef0ec4-c35e-11e4-9c27-00144feab7de.html|title=Renzi appeals to Putin for Russian help to stabilise Libya|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://tass.ru/en/world/780879|title=Italian prime minister begins trip to Kiev, Moscow|publisher=TASS Russian News Agency|date=4 March 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} Putin guaranteed Russian support in case of a United Nations intervention in Libya against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2015/03/05/news/renzi_a_mosca_depone_fiori_per_nemtsov_oggi_incontra_putin-108794662/|title=Renzi a Mosca da Putin|date=5 March 2015|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Ahead of the bilateral meeting, Prime Minister Renzi visited and laid flowers at the Moscow bridge, near the Kremlin, on which the Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was murdered a few days before.{{cite news|last=Dyomkin|first=Denis|date=5 March 2015|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-renzi-nemtsov-idUSKBN0M11J720150305|title=Italy's Renzi lays flowers on Moscow bridge where Nemtsov killed|publisher=Reuters|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Through 2015, Renzi became one of the main supporters of a reduction of international sanctions against Russia and the establishment of a political and military alliance between the Western countries and Russia against Islamic terrorism.{{cite web|last=Armellini|first=Alvise|date=6 March 2015|url=https://euobserver.com/foreign/127896|title=Renzi seeks to end Putin's international isolation|website=Euobserver|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20150306/renzi-seeks-key-role-for-russia-in-libya-crisis/|title=Renzi seeks key role for Russia in Libya crisis|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=6 March 2015|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Jozwiak|first=Rikard|date=10 December 2015|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-eu-sanctions-why-italy-change-of-heart/27419043.html|title=What's Behind Italy's Step Back On Extending Sanctions Against Russia?|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|access-date=1 February 2022}} Renzi questioned Nord Stream 2, a new Russia–Germany natural gas pipeline, saying: "I found it surprising that the South Stream project was blocked [the Balkan pipeline South Stream was cancelled by Russia in December 2014 following obstacles from the EU], while now we are discussing a doubling up of Nord Stream."{{cite news|last=Steinhauser|first=Gabriele|date=18 December 2015|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-merkel-defends-russian-gas-pipeline-plan-1450447499|title=Germany's Merkel Defends Russian Gas Pipeline Plan|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=3 February 2022}}

On 2 August 2014, Renzi met with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, holding talks about a variety of issues, including the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict. Renzi stated that Italy would support the Egyptian truce proposal, with the two leaders calling for an immediate cease-fire and the beginning of peace negotiations.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsecoloxix.it/p/mondo/2014/08/02/ARspgiVB-appoggia_egiziana_proposta.shtml|title=Renzi al Cairo: 'Su Gaza, l'Italia appoggia la proposta egiziana'|work=Il Secolo XIX|language=it|date=2 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/oggi-il-premier-al-cairo-tra-la-crisi-di-gaza-e-i-rapporti-bilaterali|url-status=dead|title=Oggi il premier al Cairo tra la crisi di gaza e i rapporti bilaterali|publisher=AGI|language=it|date=2 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402172610/http://www.agi.it/politica/notizie/oggi-il-premier-al-cairo-tra-la-crisi-di-gaza-e-i-rapporti-bilaterali|archive-date=2 April 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/08/02/gaza-israele-valuta-ritiro-unilaterale-hamas-soldato-ucciso-da-bombe/1080133/|title=Gaza, Israele avvia ritiro dell'esercito. Hamas: 'Scelte che non ci impegnano'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=2 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} In making the visit, Renzi became the first Western world leader to visit President el-Sisi since 2014 Egyptian presidential election. On 15 January 2015, after the Islamic State's conquests in Libya, Renzi conducted a long phone call with Sisi, to discuss the terrorist threat in the Mediterranean. The two leaders agreed that the next steps should be political and diplomatic efforts through the United Nations.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/renzi-puts-brakes-military-action-italy-frets-over-154951781.html|title=Renzi puts brakes on military action as Italy frets over Libya|date=16 February 2015|website=Yahoo! News|publisher=Agence France-Presse|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 11 July, a car bomb exploded outside the Italian consulate in Cairo, resulting in at least one death and four injured. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Jul-11/306244-isis-claims-responsibility-for-bomb-attack-against-italian-consulate-in-cairo.ashx|url-status=dead|title=ISIS claims responsibility for bomb attack against Italian consulate in Cairo|work=The Daily Star|date=11 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714051609/https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2015/Jul-11/306244-isis-claims-responsibility-for-bomb-attack-against-italian-consulate-in-cairo.ashx|archive-date=14 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-33491512|title=Islamic State 'behind blast' at Italian consulate in Cairo|publisher=BBC|date=11 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Sirgany|first=Sara|date=11 July 2015|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/11/middleeast/egypt-cairo-explosion/index.html|title=1 dead in car bomb blast at Italian Consulate in Egypt|publisher=CNN|access-date=11 February 2022}}

The relations between Italy and Egypt dramatically worsened after the murder of Giulio Regeni, an Italian Cambridge University graduate student killed in Cairo following his abduction on 25 January 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/07/italian-student-giulio-regeni-dead-cairo-killed-violent-blow-head|title=Italian student found dead in Cairo 'killed by violent blow to the head'|work=The Guardian|date=7 February 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} Regeni was a PhD student at Girton College, Cambridge,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35490825|title=Italian student Giulio Regeni's body found in Egypt|publisher=BBC|date=4 April 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} researching independent trade unions in Egypt.{{cite news|last=Zampano|first=Giada|date=4 February 2016|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-summons-egyptian-ambassador-over-death-of-student-in-cairo-1454589460|title=Italy Summons Egyptian Ambassador Over Death of Student in Cairo|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=3 February 2022}} Due to Regeni's research activities and left-wing political leanings, the security services of el-Sisi's government are strongly suspected of involvement in his murder,{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21693171-egyptian-authorities-show-little-appetite-solve-case-murdered|title=Suspicion falls on Egypt's security forces after the violent death of a young Italian|newspaper=The Economist|date=17 February 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} although Egypt's media and government deny this and say secret undercover agents belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood carried out the crime in order to embarrass the Egyptian government and destabilise relations between Italy and Egypt.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35650418|title=Egypt: Italian's killers may have had criminal or revenge motive|publisher=BBC|date=24 February 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Kirchgaessner|first=Stephanie|date=16 March 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/16/egypt-president-political-enemies-murdered-italian-student-abdel-fatah-al-sisi-giulio-regeni|title=Egypt: Egypt president suggests his political enemies murdered Italian student|work=The Guardian|access-date=3 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi, meeting Ali Khamenei in Tehran (1).jpg meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, 12 April 2016]]

On 20 August 2014, Renzi travelled to Iraq in the midst of the insurgency led by the Islamic State.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/primopiano/esteri/iraq_iran_isis_nucleare-551830.html|title=Iraq, Iran pronto ad agire contro l'Isis se verranno revocate le sanzioni sul nucleare: ma da Teheran arriva la smentita|work=Il Messagero|language=it|date=21 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} He met with President Fuad Masum, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and his immediate predecessor Nouri al-Maliki.{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/mondo/2014/notizia/renzi-in-iraq-l-europa-deve-essere-qui-vinceremo-battaglia-contro-terrorismo-_2063719.shtml|title=Renzi in Iraq: 'L'Europa deve essere qui' 'Vinceremo battaglia contro terrorismo'|date=20 August 2014|website=Tgcom24|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On the same day, Renzi travelled north to Erbil to meet Mas'ud Barzani, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, and Prime Minister Nechervan Barzani.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=76536|url-status=dead|title=Visita di Renzi in Iraq|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|date=12 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826115458/http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=76536|archive-date=26 August 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}} Renzi later told an American journalist that what he witnessed during his trip to Iraq reminded him of the images of the Srebrenica massacre that had horrified him as a child.{{cite news|last=Weymouth|first=Lally|date=29 September 2014|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/italys-prime-minister-everything-must-change-in-italy/2014/09/29/33562fa2-45a6-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html|title=Italy's prime minister: 'Everything must change in Italy'|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=11 February 2022}} While Renzi was in Iraq, the Italian Parliament approved a proposal to arm the Peshmerga soldiers fighting against the Islamic State.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2014/08/20/news/renzi_arrivato_a_bagdad-94132564/|title=Sì del Parlamento alle armi ai peshmerga. Renzi ai curdi: 'Insieme batteremo i terroristi'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=20 August 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}

During the 69th United Nations General Assembly on 23 September, Renzi held a bilateral meeting with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at which they discussed climate change and increasing tensions in the Middle East.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/Presidente/Fotografie/dettaglio.asp?d=76706|url-status=dead|title=New York: partecipazione al Vertice ONU|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|date=23 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924062815/http://www.governo.it/Presidente/Fotografie/dettaglio.asp?d=76706|archive-date=24 September 2014|access-date=2 February 2022}} On 11 December, Renzi travelled to Ankara for a second meeting with Erdoğan, during which Renzi expressed his support for accession of Turkey to the European Union. On the same day, he met with Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.{{cite news|last=Tacconi|first=Matteo|date=10 December 2014|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/12/10/perche-renzi-va-in-turchia/|url-status=dead|title=Perché Renzi va in Turchia|work=Europa|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427001328/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/12/10/perche-renzi-va-in-turchia/|archive-date=27 April 2017|access-date=11 February 2022}}

On 8 January 2015, Renzi made his first official trip of the year, meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi to address issues of foreign and economic policy, including the Alitalia-Etihad Airways deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/cronaca/lazio/renzi-rientrato-dagli-emirati-arabi_2088531-201502a.shtml|title=Renzi rientrato dagli Emirati Arabi|date=9 January 2015|website=Tgcom24|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} The two leaders discussed joint co-operation domains and enhancing trade exchange and co-operation in energy and aerospace.{{cite news|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/government/2015/January/government_January17.xml§ion=government|url-status=dead|title=Gen. Shaikh Mohammed receives Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi|work=Khaleej Times|date=10 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108231201/https://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/government/2015/January/government_January17.xml§ion=government|archive-date=8 January 2015|access-date=29 June 2015}}

As Prime Minister, Renzi had good relations with both Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2014/12/14/news/medioriente_roma_capitale_della_diplomazia_kerry_incontra_lavrov_e_netanyahu-102869533/|title=Medio Oriente, Netanyhau: 'Dirò a Kerry e Renzi che Israele respinge il ritiro ai confini del 1967'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=14 December 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 21 and 22 July 2015, he visited first Jerusalem, where he met with Netanyahu and addressed the Knesset, and then Ramallah, where he met with Abbas.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=79019|url-status=dead|title=Renzi in visita in Israele e Palestina|date=12 November 2015|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721190915/http://www.governo.it/Notizie/Palazzo%20Chigi/dettaglio.asp?d=79019|archive-date=21 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi was the first leader to visit Israel after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the deal reached between P5+1 and Iran. Whereas Netanyahu criticised the deal, Renzi supported it, saying that "Israel's security is the security of Europe and mine as well."{{cite news|url=http://www.corriere.it/esteri/15_luglio_21/renzi-israele-paese-nostre-radici-nostro-futuro-df5372ee-2faa-11e5-882b-b3496f35c4c0.shtml|title=Renzi incontra Netanyahu: 'Diversità di vedute sul nucleare iraniano'|date=21 July 2015|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}

In January 2016, Renzi met with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani in Rome, the first visit to Italy by a President of Iran since 1999. The two leaders signed business deals worth up to €17 billion.{{cite news|last=Worley|first=Will|date=26 January 2016|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-covers-up-naked-statues-iran-president-hassan-rouhani-visit-nude-a6834836.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-covers-up-naked-statues-iran-president-hassan-rouhani-visit-nude-a6834836.html |archive-date=12 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Italy is hiding statue genitals from Iran's visiting president|access-date=11 February 2022}} They also discussed the war against the Islamic State in the Middle East and Libya.{{cite news|last=Lombardi|first=Pietro|date=26 January 2016|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/26/europe/italy-covered-naked-statues-rouhani/index.html|title=Iran's President in Italy: Nude statues covered|publisher=CNN|access-date=11 February 2022}} On 13 and 14 April, he became the first Western leader to visit Iran after the international agreement on the nuclear program of Iran.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2016/04/11/matteo-renzi-in-iran_n_9659416.html|title=Renzi vola per primo a Teheran. Obiettivo: assicurarsi la leadership sul tesoro iraniano|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|date=11 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}} In Iran, Renzi met both President Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2016/04/12/news/iran_renzi_a_teheran_il_premier_incontra_rohani-137428977/|title=Renzi a Teheran incontra Rohani: 'Molte occasioni di business. Follia dire che tutti islamici sono terroristi'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=12 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Enrique Pena Nieto and Matteo Renzi 2016.jpeg in Mexico City, 22 April 2016]]

After announcing an increase in Italian investment in Central America and South America, Renzi undertook a number of official trips across the continent, travelling to Chile, Peru, and Colombia in October 2015.{{cite news|url=https://it.sports.yahoo.com/notizie/renzi-america-latina-e-caraibi-dal-23-al-165750771.html|title=Renzi in America Latina dal 23 al 28 ottobre|website=Yahoo! Sports|publisher=Reuters|date=14 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2015/10/23/da-cile-a-cuba-renzi-e-imprese-in-sudamerica_2f609747-2d18-4a32-91cd-4a72b77bf642.html|title=Dal Cile a Cuba, Renzi e le imprese volano in Sudamerica|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=23 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} During his visit to Santiago, Renzi and Chilean president Michelle Bachelet launched a large number of renewable energy projects promoted by the Italian multinational Enel.{{cite news|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/mondo/2015-10-25/renzi-c-e-un-italia-cui-essere-orgogliosi-e-non-e-l-italietta-polemiche-parte--162355.shtml?uuid=ACaQR8MB|title=Renzi: 'C'è un'Italia di cui essere orgogliosi, e non è l'Italietta delle polemiche di parte'|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=25 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi also visited the European Southern Observatory of Paranal in the Atacama Desert.{{cite web|url=http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1541/|title=Prime Minister of Italy Visits Paranal Observatory|publisher=European Southern Observatory|date=26 October 2015|access-date=27 October 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ilpost.it/2015/10/30/matteo-renzi-sudamerica-foto/matteo-renzi-59/|title=Le foto di Matteo Renzi in Sudamerica|work=Il Post|language=it|date=30 October 2015|access-date=27 October 2015}} During these trips, Renzi had numerous meetings with communities of Italian-born Latin Americans in these countries.{{cite news|url=http://www.andina.com.pe/Ingles/noticia-peru-pm-italian-prime-minister-visit-strengthens-bonds-581619.aspx|title=Peru PM: Italian Prime Minister Visit strengthens bonds|publisher=ANDINA|date=26 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In a surprise visit on 28 October, Renzi became the first Italian prime minister in history to make a state visit to Cuba. In doing so, he also became the first G7 leader to meet Cuban president Raúl Castro following the United States–Cuban Thaw of relations between the United States and Cuba.{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/first-italian-pm-visits-cuba-220126615.html|title=In a first, Italian PM Renzi visits Cuba|website=Yahoo! News|publisher=Agence France-Press|date=28 September 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Renzi-Cuba-Latino-America-Castro-9cfb47ba-f0ae-4466-af9b-fcd9f3c17d2d.html|title=Renzi a Cuba incontra Raúl Castro|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=28 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2015/10/28/foto/renzi_a_cuba_footing-126100952/1/|title=Renzi a Cuba, footing sul Malecon|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=28 October 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In February 2016, Renzi met Argentine president Mauricio Macri during a state visit to Buenos Aires; Renzi became the first European leader to meet Macri after the 2015 Argentine general election and the first Italian prime minister since Romano Prodi in 1998 to visit Argentina.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/articolo/renzi-argentina/4133|url-status=dead|title=Renzi in Argentina|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|date=16 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630070448/http://www.governo.it/articolo/renzi-argentina/4133|archive-date=30 June 2017|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Soltys|first=Michael|date=16 February 2016|url=http://buenosairesherald.com/article/208886/renzi-a-young-visitor-from-the-old-world|url-status=dead|title=Renzi: a young visitor from the old world|work=Buenos Aires Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217094241/https://buenosairesherald.com/article/208886/renzi-a-young-visitor-from-the-old-world|archive-date=17 February 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}} During his premiership, Renzi has also developed close relationship with Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto.{{cite web|url=http://www.governo.it/articolo/renzi-messico-e-negli-stati-uniti/4506|url-status=dead|title=Renzi in Messico e negli Stati Uniti|publisher=Council of Ministers|language=it|date=23 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306194053/http://www.governo.it/articolo/renzi-messico-e-negli-stati-uniti/4506|archive-date=6 March 2020|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Following the defeat in the constitutional referendum and the subsequent resignation as prime minister in December 2016, Renzi remained secretary of the Democratic Party (PD).{{cite web|last=Mauro|first=Angela|date=11 December 2016|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2016/12/11/matteo-renzi-pd_n_13570060.html|title='Tutto da costruire'. La nuova vita di Renzi segretario del Pd|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} As leader of the main party in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic, he supported the new government led by his former Minister of Foreign Affairs Paolo Gentiloni, also a PD deputy.{{cite web|url=http://tg24.sky.it/tg24/politica/photogallery/2016/12/12/cerimonia-passaggio-consegne-governo-matteo-renzi-paolo-gentilon.html|url-status=dead|title=Il passaggio della campanella tra Renzi e Gentiloni|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=12 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215061552/http://tg24.sky.it/tg24/politica/photogallery/2016/12/12/cerimonia-passaggio-consegne-governo-matteo-renzi-paolo-gentilon.html|archive-date=15 December 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}} In February 2017, Renzi resigned as secretary, only to be re-elected in the 2017 PD leadership election in April.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39767573|title=Italy ex-PM Matteo Renzi wins Democratic Party election|publisher=BBC|date=30 April 2017|access-date=13 February 2022}} Following poor results in the 2018 Italian general election, Renzi resigned as secretary for good in March.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/12/matteo-renzi-resigns-leader-democratic-party-italy-poll-defeat|title=Matteo Renzi resigns as leader of Democratic party after poll defeat|work=The Guardian|date=12 March 2018|access-date=13 February 2022}}

In September 2019, Renzi left the PD to found the liberal party Italia Viva (IV). As a member of the PD, the party moved at the opposition in June 2018 against the populist Conte I Cabinet of Lega–Five Star Movement (M5S). In August 2019, Renzi played a key role in returning the PD to government with the M5S and the left-wing Free and Equal; he then joined the government with IV to keep Lega and Matteo Salvini out of power,{{cite journal|last=Fusaro|first=Carlo|date=22 September 2019|url=https://verfassungsblog.de/italia-viva-party-system-reform-morta/|title=Italia Viva, Party System Reform Morta: What Matteo Renzi's split from the PD means for democracy and stability in Italy and beyond|journal=Verfassungsblog: On Matters Constitutional|doi=10.17176/20190922-232352-0|access-date=13 February 2022}} leading to both the rise and fall of the Conte II Cabinet through the 2021 Italian government crisis in January, and then supporting the national-unity government of the Draghi Cabinet in February 2021.{{cite journal|last=Pianta|first=Mario|date=April 2021|url=https://www.intereconomics.eu/contents/year/2021/number/2/article/italy-s-political-turmoil-and-mario-draghi-s-european-challenges.html|title=Italy's Political Turmoil and Mario Draghi's European Challenges|journal=Intereconomics|volume=56|issue=2|pages=82–85|doi=10.1007/s10272-021-0958-9|pmid=33840824|pmc=8021634|access-date=13 February 2022}}

{{main|2017 Democratic Party (Italy) leadership election}}

File:Cerimonia di insediamento del Governo Gentiloni 2016.jpg during the swearing-in ceremony]]

During the PD National Assembly on 19 February 2017, Renzi resigned as the party secretary, announcing his candidacy for the next leadership election.{{cite news|last1=Bertini|first1=Carlo|last2=Carugati|first2=Andrea|date=19 February 2017|url=https://www.lastampa.it/politica/2017/02/19/news/rossi-emiliano-e-speranza-renzi-ha-scelto-1.34656692|title=Rossi, Emiliano e Speranza: 'Renzi ha scelto'|work=La Stampa|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} A few days before, he launched the movement In Cammino ("On the Way") in support of his candidacy.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/topnews/2017/02/15/renzi-rimettiamoci-in-cammino-insieme_d9626ee1-23ce-4324-9f3e-cf407576c7cc.html|title=Renzi, rimettiamoci in cammino insieme|date=15 February 2017|publisher=ANSA|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Contextually, a large portion of the party's internal left wing, led by Enrico Rossi and Roberto Speranza, who were endorsed by former party leaders Massimo D'Alema, Pier Luigi Bersani, and Guglielmo Epifani, left the PD and founded Article 1 – Democratic and Progressive Movement (MDP), along with splinters from Italian Left (SI).{{cite news|last=Stefanoni|first=Franco|date=25 February 2017|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/17_febbraio_25/ecco-nome-fuorusciti-pd-democratici-progressisti-4c70ae0c-fb45-11e6-8df2-f7ebe5fcea94.shtml|title=Ecco il nome degli ex Pd: Articolo 1 Movimento dei democratici e progressisti|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Gagliardi|first=Andrea|date=25 February 2017|url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/democratici-e-progressisti-nuovo-nome-ex-pd-speranza-lavoro-e-nostra-priorita-AEkjzSd|title='Democratici e progressisti' il nuovo nome degli ex Pd. Speranza: lavoro è nostra priorità|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Binelli|first=Raffaello|date=25 February 2017|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/nasce-movimento-democratici-e-progressisti-1368646.html|title=Nasce il Movimento democratici e progressisti|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}

On 6 March, Renzi presented his electoral programme,{{cite news|url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/primopiano/politica/matteo_renzi_in_cammino_slogan_brand-2302563.html|title=Renzi riparte, e registra lo slogan-brand 'In Cammino'|work=Il Messaggero|language=it|date=7 March 2017|access-date=5 February 2022}} in which he expressed his intention to renovate the party, Italy, and Europe. He also announced an electoral ticket with the Agriculture Minister Maurizio Martina, who became deputy secretary.{{cite news|url=http://www.unita.tv/focus/ecco-la-sintesi-della-mozione-congressuale-di-matteo-renzi/|url-status=dead|title=Ecco la sintesi della mozione congressuale di Matteo Renzi|work=L'Unità|language=it|date=6 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306215245/http://www.unita.tv/focus/ecco-la-sintesi-della-mozione-congressuale-di-matteo-renzi/|archive-date=6 March 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite magazine|last=Franco|first=Maria|date=15 March 2017|url=https://www.panorama.it/news/maurizio-martina-vice-di-sinistra-matteo-renzi|title=Maurizio Martina: chi è il vice (di sinistra) scelto da Matteo Renzi|magazine=Panorama|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} From 10 to 12 March, Renzi and his supporters participated in Lingotto '17, a convention based in the district of Lingotto in Turin, where the PD was founded ten years before under the leadership of Walter Veltroni.{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=10 March 2017|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/03/10/news/renzi_lingotto_primarie_pd-160240693/|title=Lingotto, Renzi apre la kermesse del Pd: 'Rivendichiamo il futuro contro la paura'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} During his speech, Renzi condemned the Five Star Movement, accused of being a populist party controlled by a private company, and Lega Nord, which uses fear to gain votes.{{cite news|url=http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2017/03/09/pd-il-lingotto-di-renzi-10-anni-dopo-per-ripartire_a6c4d714-9f23-4431-84af-601e309ee06f.html|title=Pd, ultimo giorno kermesse Lingotto. Renzi: partita inizia ora, scrivere progetto Paese|publisher=ANSA|language=it|date=9 March 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi attacked also European bureaucrats and proposed a primary election to appoint the PES candidate for the European Commission presidency and the direct election of the European president.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/03/10/matteo-renzi-lingotto-euroburocrati_n_15283078.html|title=Al Lingotto conto gli euroburocrati|date=10 March 2017|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Among the notable participants of the pro-Renzi convention were Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, ministers like Pier Carlo Padoan, Dario Franceschini, Graziano Delrio, Marianna Madia, and Roberta Pinotti, and secretary Maria Elena Boschi.{{cite news|last=Strippoli|first=Sara|date=8 March 2017|url=https://torino.repubblica.it/cronaca/2017/03/08/news/torino_da_padoan_a_lotti_parata_di_ministri_con_renzi_al_lingotto-160051996/|title=Torino, da Padoan a Lotti parata di ministri con Renzi al Lingotto|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Emma Bonino, Italian Radicals leader and former Foreign Affairs Minister, also participated in the rally.{{cite web|url=https://www.la7.it/laria-che-tira/video/emma-bonino-vado-al-lingotto-per-contaminare-renzi-08-03-2017-206593|title=Emma Bonino: 'Vado al Lingotto per contaminare Renzi'|website=La7|language=it|date=8 March 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}}

The other two candidates for the leadership election were the president of Apulia Michele Emiliano and the Minister of Justice Andrea Orlando. Emiliano was an outspoken former magistrate with strong support in the poor South expected to join the dissidents in MDP but decided instead to challenge Renzi from within the mainstream party;{{cite news|last=Zampano|first=Giada|date=13 March 2017|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/matteo-renzi-italy-comeback-news-pd-michele-emiliano-andrea-orlando/|title='Soft revolution' threatens Matteo Renzi's Italian comeback|work=Politico|access-date=3 February 2022}} he is often described as a democratic socialist and populist politician.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/03/01/andrea-orlando-michele-em_n_15076196.html|title=Orlando contro Emiliano: 'Scorretto e populista'|date=1 March 2017|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Orlando is a social-democratic politician and a leading member of the party since the foundation,{{cite news|url=https://www.ilsecoloxix.it/genova/2017/02/25/news/segreteria-pd-il-ministro-orlando-apre-la-sua-campagna-a-genova-1.30698272|title=Segreteria Pd, il ministro Orlando apre la sua campagna a Genova|work=Il Secolo XIX|language=it|date=25 February 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}} often described as the candidate of the social-democratic establishment of the party.{{cite web|last=De Angelis|first=Alessandro|date=23 February 2017|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/02/23/pd-orlando_n_14966864.html|title=Il figlio del partito|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} After having won the March vote by party members with almost 67% of votes,{{cite web|url=http://www.partitodemocratico.it/document/dati-definitivi-dei-congressi-circolo/|title=I dati definitivi dei congressi di circolo|publisher=Democratic Party|language=it|date=30 April 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi won the PD's April primary by a landslide with 69.2% of votes,{{cite news|last=Custodero|first=Alberto|date=30 April 2017|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/04/30/news/primarie_pd_elezioni_segretario_scrutinio-164320193/|title=Primarie Pd, Renzi vince nettamente: 'Al fianco del governo: nuovo inizio, niente rivincite'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} while Orlando received 19.9% and Emiliano 10.9% of votes.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/05/01/i-dati-definitivi-delle-primarie-renzi-70-orlando-19-5-emil_a_22063333/|title=I dati definitivi delle primarie: Renzi 70%, Orlando 19,5%, Emiliano 10,49%|date=1 May 2017|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} On 1 May,{{cite web|url=https://www.primariepd2017.it/|url-status=dead|title=Primarie|publisher=Democratic Party|language=it|date=1 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506012608/http://www.primariepd2017.it/|archive-date=6 May 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi was certified to have been re-elected as the party secretary.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/primarie-pd2017/|title=Primarie PD|date=1 May 2017|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi Lingotto.jpg convention]]

After the rejection of the constitutional reform, the parliament had to change the Italian electoral law of 2015 proposed by Renzi's government; the so-called Italicum regulated only the election of the Chamber of Deputies, and not the one of the Senate, which, had the reform passed, would be indirectly elected by citizens. After the re-election as secretary, Renzi proposed a new electoral law called Mattarellum bis, better known as Rosatellum,{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=18 May 2017|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/05/18/news/legge_elettorale_rosatellum_senato-165725513/|title=Legge elettorale, il 5 giugno in aula. Il Pd spinge sul Rosatellum, ma i numeri in Senato restano incerti|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} from the name of his main proponent Ettore Rosato, PD leader in the Chamber of Deputies.{{cite news|url=https://www.adnkronos.com/fatti/politica/2017/05/17/legge-elettorale-ecco-cosa-prevede-testo-del_N1zLZl6CR7jEqRCdaNv12N.html|title=Legge elettorale, cosa prevede il 'Rosatellum'|publisher=Adnkronos|language=it|date=17 May 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}} This electoral law was similar to the one which was applied in Italy from 1993 to 2004.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Legge-elettorale-arriva-il-Rosatellum-c46c0e3c-3792-47ad-9229-ba5e9573c6aa.html|title=Arriva il 'Rosatellum', Renzi: a giugno la nuova legge elettorale|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=17 May 2017|access-date=3 February 2022}}

Rosatellum used an additional member system, which acts as a mixed system, with 36% of seats allocated using a first-past-the-post voting system and 64% using proportional representation, with one round of voting. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate did not differ in the way they allocated the proportional seats, both using the D'Hondt method of allocating seats.{{cite news|last=Falci|first=Giuseppe Alberto|date=10 July 2017|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/cards/come-funziona-rosatellum/iter_principale.shtml|title=Rosatellum, come funziona la legge elettorale e cosa prevede|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Patta|first=Emilia|date=20 September 2017|url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/rosatellum-20-tutti-rischi-nuovo-patto-nazareno-AEVDe3WC|title=Rosatellum 2.0, tutti i rischi del nuovo Patto del Nazareno|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} The new electoral law was supported by PD and his government ally Popular Alternative but also by the opposition parties {{Lang|it|Forza Italia|italic=no}} and {{Lang|it|Lega Nord|italic=no}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/2017/10/07/il-patto-a-quattro-pd-ap-lega-fi-regge-primo-ok-al-rosatellum-martedi-in-aula-alla-camera_a_23235808/|title=Il patto a quattro Pd-Ap-Lega-Fi regge. Primo ok al Rosatellum, martedì in Aula alla Camera|date=7 October 2017|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

Despite many protests from the Five Star Movement and the MDP, the electoral law was approved on 12 October by the Chamber of Deputies with 375 votes in favour and 215 against,{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/10/12/news/il_rosatellum_alla_prova_del_voto_segreto_finale-178045315/|title=Rosatellum approvato alla Camera. Evitata la trappola dello scrutinio segreto. Via libera al salva-Verdini|date=12 October 2017|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} and by the Senate with 214 votes against 61 on 26 October.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2017/10/26/news/legge_elettorale_verdini_noi_sempre_in_maggioranza_e_ci_resteremo_-179372181/|title=Il Rosatellum bis è legge dello Stato: via libera definitivo al Senato con 214 sì|last1=Buzzanca|first1=Silvio|last2=Gallori|first2=Paolo|date=26 October 2017|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

The PD's electoral programme for the 2018 Italian general election included,{{cite web|url=https://www.partitodemocratico.it/politiche-2018/piu-forte-piu-giusta-italia-programma-del-pd/|title=Più forte, più giusta. L'Italia – Il programma del Pd|publisher=Democratic Party|language=it|date=7 February 2018|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.csis.org/programs/european-election-watch/italy|title=Italy|publisher=Center for Strategic and International Studies|date=4 March 2018|accessdate=1 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Toygür|first=Ilke|date=16 March 2018|url=https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/a-guide-to-understanding-italy-the-2018-elections-and-beyond/|title=A guide to understanding Italy: the 2018 elections and beyond|publisher=Elcano Royal Institute|access-date=11 February 2022}} among the main points, the introduction of a minimum hourly wage of €10, a measure that would affect 15% of workers, that is those workers who do not adhere to the national collective agreements; a cut of the contributory wedge for permanent contracts; a relocation allowance and an increase in subsidies for the unemployed; a monthly allowance of €80 for parents for each minor child; fiscal detraction of €240 for parents with children; and the progressive reduction of IRPEF and IRES rates, respectively the Italian income tax and the corporate tax.{{cite web|url=https://www.raiplay.it/video/2018/01/Porta-a-Porta-946b760d-22f6-4585-890c-7f927a2e56b4.html|title=Porta a porta – S2017/18 – Puntata del 10/01/2018 – Video|website=RaiPlay|language=it|date=10 January 2018|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2018/02/02/news/pd_programma_elettorale_matteo_renzi-187887650/|title=Pd, Renzi ecco il programma elettorale: 240 euro al mese per figlio. 'Taglio contributi tempo indeterminato'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=2 February 2018|access-date=3 February 2022}} Moreover, the PD advocated the re-launch of the process of European integration and federation towards the formation of the United States of Europe.{{cite news|url=https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/renzi-futuro-sono-stati-uniti-d-europa-AEJ9kAmD|title=Renzi: il futuro sono gli Stati Uniti d'Europa|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=20 January 2018|access-date=2 February 2022}}

In the election, Renzi's centre-left coalition arrived third behind the centre-right coalition, in which Matteo Salvini's League was the main political force, and the Five Star Movement of Luigi Di Maio that came first as a party.{{cite news|last=Matteucci|first=Piera|date=4 March 2018|url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/elezioni2018/2018/03/04/news/risultati_elezioni_politiche_pd_centrodestra_m5s_fi_lega-190424815/|title=Elezioni politiche: vincono M5s e Lega. Crollo del Partito democratico. Centrodestra prima coalizione. Il Carroccio sorpassa Forza Italia|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Sala|first=Alessandro|date=3 April 2018|url=https://www.corriere.it/elezioni-2018/notizie/elezioni-2018-exit-poll-risultati-proiezioni-spoglio-eb21387e-1ff1-11e8-a09a-92b478235f6f.shtml|title=Elezioni 2018: M5S primo partito, nel centrodestra la Lega supera FI|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} On 5 March, Renzi announced that the PD would be in opposition during this legislature and resign as secretary when a new cabinet is formed.{{cite news|last=Ciriaco|first=Tommaso|date=5 March 2018|url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/elezioni2018/2018/03/05/news/elezioni_2018_renzi_si_dimette-190497785/|title=Renzi: 'Lascerò dopo nuovo governo. Pd all'opposizione'. Ma è scontro nel partito: 'Via subito'. Orfini: 'Percorso previsto dallo statuto'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi officially resigned on 12 March during the PD's national directorate, and his deputy secretary Martina was appointed acting leader.{{cite news|last1=Casadio|first1=Giovanna|last2=Custodero|first2=Alberto|date=12 March 2018|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2018/03/12/news/direzione_pd_governo_elezioni_politiche_2018_matteo_renzi_mi_dimetto_ma_non_mollo_-191080532/|title=Direzione Pd, Martina: 'Governino Lega e M5s'. Renzi assente: 'Mi dimetto ma non mollo'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

In August 2019, Deputy Prime Minister and Lega's leader Matteo Salvini announced a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte after growing tensions within the majority.{{cite news|url=http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/Salvini-Subito-in-Aula-poi-le-elezioni-Conte-Dovra-spiegare-le-ragioni-della-crisi-648408f5-df6c-49f8-bf6d-a73532bd60ab.html|title=La Lega presenta al Senato una mozione di sfiducia a Conte. M5S attacca Salvini: 'Giullare'|publisher=Rai|language=it|date=9 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}} Many political analysts believed the no confidence motion was an attempt to force early elections to improve Lega's standing in Parliament, ensuring Salvini could become the next prime minister.{{cite news|last=Squires|first=Nick|date=9 August 2019|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/09/italys-league-files-no-confidence-motion-prime-minister-inbid/|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|title=Italy's League files no confidence motion in prime minister in bid to trigger election|work=The Telegraph|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/09/italys-league-files-no-confidence-motion-prime-minister-inbid/|archive-date=12 January 2022|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} On 20 August, following the parliamentary debate at the Senate, in which Conte accused Salvini of being a political opportunist who "had triggered the political crisis only to serve his personal interest" and stated "this government ends here",{{cite news|last=Hall|first=Ben|date=20 August 2019|url=https://www.ft.com/content/2119e302-c32c-11e9-a8e9-296ca66511c9|title=Conte resignation shows stakes are high in Italy's political crisis|work=Financial Times|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Giuffrida|first=Angela|date=20 August 2019|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/20/italian-pm-expected-resign-giuseppe-conte|title=Italian PM resigns with attack on 'opportunist' Salvini|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 February 2022}} the Prime Minister resigned his post to President Sergio Mattarella.{{cite news|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=28 August 2019|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/20/world/europe/italy-pm-giuseppe-conte-resign.html|title=Italy's Government Collapses, Turning Chaos Into Crisis|work=The New York Times|access-date=1 February 2022}} Despite having always opposed it in the past, Renzi strongly advocated the formation of a new government between the PD and the populist Five Star Movement in August 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2019/08/23/news/matteo_renzi_scuola_politica_paolo_gentiloni_pd_m5s_repubblica_huffington-234168981/|title=Renzi contro Gentiloni: 'Ha provato a far saltare l'accordo con i 5Stelle'. Zingaretti: 'Accuse offensive'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=23 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}} After days of tensions within the PD, Nicola Zingaretti, the new PD's leader, announced his favorable position regarding a new government with the M5S on 28 August, with Conte at its head.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/conte-wins-crucial-support-for-new-italian-govt-coalition/2019/08/28/a85203c4-c99c-11e9-9615-8f1a32962e04_story.html|url-status=dead|title=Italy's Conte might be back at helm with Salvini shut out|newspaper=The Washington Post|last1=D'Emilio|first1=Frances|last2=Zampano|first2=Giada|date=28 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190828200930/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/conte-wins-crucial-support-for-new-italian-govt-coalition/2019/08/28/a85203c4-c99c-11e9-9615-8f1a32962e04_story.html|archive-date=28 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/europe_conte-wins-crucial-support-new-italian-govt-coalition/6174742.html|title=Conte wins crucial support for likely new Italian coalition|website=VOA News|publisher=Reuters|date=28 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}} On the same day, President Mattarella summoned Conte to the Quirinal Palace for the 29 August to give him the task of forming a new cabinet.{{cite news|url=https://www.agi.it/politica/governo_pd_m5s_consultazioni-6094223/news/2019-08-28/|title=C'è l'accordo tra M5s e Pd. Governo giallorosso ai nastri di partenza|publisher=AGI|language=it|date=28 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}} Renzi was seen by many political analysts and journalists as the real kingmaker of the new parliamentary majority.{{cite web|url=http://www.affaritaliani.it/roma/crisi-tutti-contro-salvini-adinolfi-zingaretti-m5s-nel-pd-comanda-renzi-621793.html|title=Crisi, tutti contro Salvini. Adinolfi: 'Zingaretti-M5S? Nel Pd comanda Renzi'|website=Affari Italiani|language=it|date=22 August 2019|access-date=1 February 2022}}

File:Matteo Renzi Quirinale 2021.jpg

In an interview with la Repubblica on 17 September, Renzi announced his intention to leave the PD, creating new parliamentary groups led by him.{{cite news|last=Cuzzocrea|first=Annalisa|date=16 September 2019|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2019/09/17/news/pd_renzi_scissione-301005662/|title=Renzi lascia il Pd: 'Uscire dal partito sarà un bene per tutti. Anche per Conte'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} On the same day, interviewed by Bruno Vespa in his TV show Porta a Porta, he officially launched the political movement Italia Viva (IV).{{cite news|url=https://www.corriere.it/politica/19_settembre_17/renzi-il-nome-nuova-sfida-che-stiamo-lanciare-sara-italia-viva-8dbc9da4-d963-11e9-8812-2a1c8aa813a3.shtml|title=Renzi: 'Il nome della nuova sfida che stiamo per lanciare sarà Italia viva'|date=17 September 2019|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=1 February 2022}} Between December 2020 and January 2021, discussions arose within the government coalition between Renzi and Prime Minister Conte.{{cite web|url=https://www.open.online/2021/01/03/governo-conte-renzi-ritira-ministre-scenari/|title=A un passo dalla crisi di governo: Renzi pronto a ritirare le ministre. Ecco gli scenari possibili|date=3 January 2021|website=Open|language=it|access-date=1 February 2022}} Renzi called for radical changes to the government's economic recovery plans after the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy and also demanded that Conte cede his mandate over the secret services coordination task.{{cite news|last=Balmer|first=Crispian|date=4 January 2021|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/italy-politics/italian-government-totters-as-conte-renzi-divide-deepens-idINKBN2980EO|title=Italian government totters as Conte, Renzi divide deepens|publisher=Reuters|access-date=1 February 2022}} During his end-of-year press conference, Conte declined Renzi's requests, saying that he still had a parliamentary majority.{{cite news|last=Ciriaco|first=Tommaso|date=30 December 2021|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2020/12/30/news/governo_recovery_sfida_conte_renzi-301048548/|title=Governo, Conte sfida Renzi: 'Se si sfila andiamo in aula. Sul Recovery non va bene: dobbiamo correre'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=1 February 2022}} After a few days, Renzi threatened to pull back IV's two ministers, Teresa Bellanova and Elena Bonetti, from the upcoming Council of Ministers, summoned to approve the Next Generation EU.{{cite news|last=Napolitano|first=Pasquale|date=3 January 2021|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/renzi-tam-tam-continuo-7-ritiro-ministre-1913959.html|title=Renzi, tam-tam continuo 'Il 7 ritiro le ministre'|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=1 February 2022}}

During a press conference on 13 January,{{cite news|url=https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/politica/2021/01/13/matteo-renzi-la-conferenza-stampa_dab05c72-1851-4820-836a-3a4ac4bb41ff.html|title=Matteo Renzi annuncia dimissioni ministre IV e attacca il governo|language=it|publisher=ANSA|date=13 January 2021|access-date=11 February 2022|quote='We asked the Prime Minister three questions. The first is methodical: we will not allow anyone to have full powers, we have started this government not to give them to Salvini'. ... 'There is a dramatic emergency to face but it cannot be the only element that keeps the government alive. Responding to the pandemic means having the desire and need to unblock construction sites and act on industrial policies' ... . 'There is a reason if Italy is the country with the highest number of deaths and GDP that collapses'.}} Renzi announced the resignation of IV's ministers Bellanova and Bonetti, officially opening the 2021 Italian government crisis.{{cite web|last=Cerami|first=Gabriella|date=13 January 2021|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/entry/conte-offre-un-patto-renzi-ritira-le-ministre-la-crisi-e-servita_it_5fff52bac5b691806c4ee359|title=Conte offre un patto, Renzi ritira le ministre. La crisi è servita|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi was instrumental in getting Mario Draghi as prime minister,{{cite news|last=Horowitz|first=Jason|date=9 February 2021|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/09/world/europe/italy-renzi-interview.html|title=Renzi's Power Play Is a 'Masterpiece.' He'll Be the First to Tell You|work=The New York Times|access-date=1 February 2022}} with IV supporting Draghi's vote of confidence for a national unity government.{{cite news|last=Amaro|first=Silvia|date=3 February 2021|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/03/renzi-happy-mario-draghi-said-yes-to-being-italy-new-prime-minister.html|title=Italy: Renzi says country will be in good hands with Mario Draghi|publisher=CNBC|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/06/mario-draghi-secures-support-from-key-parties-to-form-new-italian-government|title=Mario Draghi secures support from key parties to form new Italian government|website=The Guardian|publisher=Associated Press|date=6 February 2021|access-date=1 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Miles|date=10 February 2021|url=https://www.ft.com/content/224562f3-ba73-4db7-acac-e9d8032d430e|title='Italy is back': Renzi hails prospect of Draghi government|work=Financial Times|access-date=1 February 2022}} In the 2022 Italian presidential election, Renzi supported candidate Pier Ferdinando Casini,{{cite news|last=Preziosi|first=Daniela|date=23 January 2022|url=https://www.editorialedomani.it/politica/quirinale-la-solita-ambizione-di-matteo-renzi-di-fare-il-kingmaker-rqgb65ki|title=Quirinale, la solita ambizione di Matteo Renzi di fare il kingmaker|work=Domani|language=it|access-date=12 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Ianaccone|first=Stefano|date=26 January 2022|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/politica/2022/01/26/news/renzi_continua_a_puntare_su_casini_il_segnale_nelle_urne_52_voti_per_l_ex_dc-7734027/|title=Renzi continua a puntare su Casini. Il segnale nelle urne: 52 voti per l'ex Dc|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|access-date=12 February 2022}} a centrist close to the centre-right, having qualms about the precedent of re-electing the incumbent president Mattarella; after Casini failed to gain support and rejecting the candidature of Elisabetta Belloni, the head of secret services, which he criticized as "only [happening] in an anti-democratic country",{{cite news|last=Jakhnagiev|first=Alexander|date=29 January 2022|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2022/01/29/quirinale-renzi-boccia-belloni-solo-in-un-paese-anti-democratico-il-capo-dei-servizi-segreti-diventa-presidente-della-repubblica/6472875/|title=Quirinale, Renzi boccia Belloni: 'Solo in un Paese anti-democratico il capo dei servizi segreti diventa presidente della Repubblica'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=12 February 2022}} Renzi joined the governing parties in asking Mattarella to accept a second term.{{cite web|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/2022/02/03/matteo-renzi-intervista|title=Renzi a Sky TG24: 'Draghi e Mattarella: squadra che vince non si cambia'|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=3 February 2022|access-date=12 February 2022}}

In 2020, the Florence public prosecutor's office opened an investigation after the agreement with Soka Gakkai Italian Buddhist Institute (SGI-Italy) received the on suspicion of corruption in which SGI-Italy recognizes as a "Concordat" in June 2015: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was said to have received a reward from the Soka Gakkai in the form of a package of Mitsui shares, a Japanese group in which the Soka Gakkai is a shareholder.{{cite web |last1=Redazione CF |title=Sesto Fiorentino, aperto fascicolo sui rapporti tra Matteo Renzi e il centro buddista |url=https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it |website=Corriere Fiorentino |access-date=9 July 2024}}

{{main|2014 European Parliament election in Italy}}

{{see also|2014 European Parliament election}}

In the European Parliament elections held on 25 May 2014, the first national election Renzi had faced since becoming prime minister, his Democratic Party (PD) won 40.8% of the vote with 11,203,231 votes,{{cite web|url=http://elezioni.interno.it/europee/scrutini/20140525/EX0.htm|url-status=dead|title=Elezioni 2014|publisher=Ministry of the Interior|language=it|date=25 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528005441/http://elezioni.interno.it/europee/scrutini/20140525/EX0.htm|archive-date=28 May 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}} becoming by far the largest party in the country with 31 members of the European Parliament (MEPs).{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=26 May 2014|url=https://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/elezioni-europee2014/2014/05/26/news/elezioni_europee_pd_renzi_risultati-87203700/|title=Elezioni europee, il Pd: 'Abbiamo vinto noi, risultato straordinario'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} The PD won the most votes of any single party across the whole of the European Union, won the largest number of MEPs for any single party, and the largest party within the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the PD's European Parliament group.{{cite news|last=Scherer|first=Steve|date=26 May 2014|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/eu-election-italy-idUSL6N0OC21V20140526|title=Renzi's triumph in EU vote gives mandate for Italian reform|publisher=Reuters|access-date=11 February 2022}}

The PD's vote share was the best result for an Italian party in a nationwide election since the 1958 Italian general election, when Christian Democracy won 42.4% of the vote.{{cite news|last=Ferrara|first=Domenico|date=26 May 2014|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/interni/renzi-rottama-pure-dc-termini-consensi-1022326.html|title=Renzi rottama pure la Dc (in termini di consensi)|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://st.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-05-26/i-record-elezionila-dc-il-1948-1958-023125.shtml|title=Dalla Dc degli anni 50 al Pci di Berlinguer. Tutti i risultati record nella storia delle elezioni in Italia|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=2 May 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=D'Alimonte|first=Roberto|date=28 May 2014|url=https://cise.luiss.it/cise/cise2019_wp/2014/05/28/il-pd-vince-dappertutto-anche-nel-nord-est/|title=Il Pd vince dappertutto, anche nel Nord-Est|publisher=Italian Center for Electoral Studies|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} The positive electoral result enabled Renzi to successfully nominate his Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini as the new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, ensuring that an Italian would occupy one of the European Union's two most powerful political positions.{{cite news|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2014/08/30/news/vertice_ue_pacchetto_nomine_renzi_a_bruxelles_consiglio_europeo_mogherini_mrs_pesc_hollande_eliseo-94696322/|title=Nomine Ue, Renzi la spunta: Mogherini è Alto Rappresentante agli esteri|date=30 August 2014|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

{{main|2015 Italian presidential election}}

File:Renzi Mattarella 2.jpeg in 2015]]

Giorgio Napolitano announced his immediate retirement as President of Italy on 14 January 2015. Napolitano had been convinced to stand again as president following the political uncertainty generated by the 2013 Italian general election but had made it clear he would retire at some point before June 2015. During the National Assembly of the PD on 29 January, Renzi officially announced that he would endorse Sergio Mattarella, a judge on the Constitutional Court of Italy and a former Minister of Defence, as his candidate for the Italian presidential election to replace Napolitano.{{cite web|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pm-backs-anti-mafia-figure-italy-president-204608082.html|url-status=dead|title=PM backs anti-mafia figure for Italy President|website=Yahoo! News|date=29 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131133435/https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pm-backs-anti-mafia-figure-italy-president-204608082.html|archive-date=31 January 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}}

It had been thought, due to the high threshold a candidate requires in the first three rounds of balloting in a presidential election, that Renzi would be forced to seek a compromise candidate with Silvio Berlusconi; however, despite Berlusconi's stringent opposition to Mattarella, Renzi instructed the PD to abstain from the first three rounds of balloting in an attempt to force a fourth ballot which required a far lower threshold for victory. Despite the risk this strategy involved, centrist parties announced at the last moment that they would support Mattarella on the fourth ballot, and he subsequently won the presidential election with 665 votes out of 1,009 from senators and deputies. Renzi was able to secure his chosen candidate's election by also unexpectedly securing last-minute support from the conservative New Centre-Right, the socialist Left Ecology Freedom, and the liberal Civic Choice.{{cite news|last1=Politi|first1=James|last2=Segreti|first2=Giulia|date=31 January 2015|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/78f19afa-a93e-11e4-a28e-00144feab7de.html|title=Sergio Mattarella to be Italy's next president|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}}

{{main|2016 Italian constitutional referendum}}

File:Basta un Sì logo.png

After constitutional reforms had passed both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic multiple times, Renzi announced that he would hold a constitutional referendum on 4 December 2016 to seek approval for the changes; whilst the reform was approved by a simple parliamentary majority, it did not achieve the two-thirds necessary to avoid a referendum, as per Article 138 of the Constitution of Italy.{{cite magazine|last=Sappino|first=Luca|date=11 January 2016|url=http://espresso.repubblica.it/palazzo/2016/01/11/news/riforme-alla-camera-il-si-passa-senza-problemi-e-ora-si-pensa-gia-al-referendum-1.246321|title=Riforme, alla Camera il sì passa senza problemi: e ora si pensa già al referendum|magazine=L'Espresso|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Voters were asked whether they approved of amending the constitution to transform the Senate into a "Senate of Regions", with 100 members made up of regional councillors and mayors of large cities, akin to the Bundesrat of Germany.{{cite news|last=Sgherza|first=Alessio|date=12 October 2015|url=http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2015/10/13/news/scheda_riforma_costituzione_senato_ddl_boschi_solo_testo-124904893/|title=Scheda / La nuova Costituzione e il nuovo Senato (versione solo testo)|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} The reform would have reduced the size of the Senate from 315 to 100, making all senators indirectly elected by regional councils and mayors. The reform would have made it harder for the Senate to veto legislation.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics-idUSKCN0X9217|title=Italy passes Renzi's flagship reform, opening way for referendum|last=Balmer|first=Crispian|date=12 April 2016|publisher=Reuters|access-date=3 February 2022}} Following early results which indicated that the "No" side was clearly ahead, Renzi conceded defeat and resigned.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38204189|title=Matteo Renzi's referendum defeat risks Italy political crisis|publisher=BBC|date=5 December 2016|access-date=3 February 2022}}

{{main|2018 Italian general election}}

File:OpinionPollingItalyGeneralElection2018.png (represented in red) from 2013 to 2018]]

The 2018 Italian general election was held on 4 March after the Italian Parliament was dissolved by President Sergio Mattarella on 28 December 2017.{{cite news|last=Verderami|first=Francesco|date=13 December 2017|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/17_dicembre_13/scioglimento-camere-ac1b958a-df86-11e7-b8cc-37049f602793.shtml|title=Elezioni 2018, si punta al 27 dicembre per lo scioglimento delle Camere: si vota il 4 marzo|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi led a centre-left coalition composed by the Democratic Party (PD), the liberal More Europe of Emma Bonino, the centrist Popular Civic List of Beatrice Lorenzin, and the progressive Together of Giulio Santagata.{{cite news|last=Berlini|first=Alberto|date=2 February 2018|url=https://www.today.it/politica/elezioni/politiche-2018/programma-pd-centrosinistra.html|title=Elezioni 2018, il programma del Pd (e del centrosinistra)|work=Today|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} The centre-left was affected by a political schism, when many members of PD's left-wing faction, like Bersani, D'Alema, and Speranza, left the party founding another movement, known as MDP, which run under the joint list Free and Equal led by Pietro Grasso.{{cite news|last=Franchi|first=Massimo|date=3 December 2017|url=https://ilmanifesto.it/nasce-liberi-e-uguali-grasso-si-presenta-bene|title=Liberi e Uguali, Grasso si presenta bene|work=il manifesto|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In the election, the centre-right coalition, in which Matteo Salvini's League emerged as the main political, won a plurality of seats in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate with 37.0% of votes, while the anti-establishment Five Star Movement led by Luigi Di Maio became the party with the largest number of votes (32.7%). Renzi's centre-left coalition came only third with 22.9% of votes;{{cite news|last=Matteucci|first=Piera|date=4 March 2018|url=http://www.repubblica.it/speciali/politica/elezioni2018/2018/03/04/news/risultati_elezioni_politiche_pd_centrodestra_m5s_fi_lega-190424815/|title=Elezioni politiche: vincono M5s e Lega. Crollo del Partito democratico. Centrodestra prima coalizione. Il Carroccio sorpassa Forza Italia|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} however, no political group or party won an outright majority, resulting in a hung parliament.{{cite news|last=Sala|first=Alessandro|date=3 April 2018|url=http://www.corriere.it/elezioni-2018/notizie/elezioni-2018-exit-poll-risultati-proiezioni-spoglio-eb21387e-1ff1-11e8-a09a-92b478235f6f.shtml|title=Elezioni 2018: M5S primo partito, nel centrodestra la Lega supera FI|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}}

{{see also|Renziani}}

File:Matteo Renzi Bologna.jpg]]

The nature of Renzi's progressivism is a matter of debate and has been linked both to liberalism and populism.{{cite news|last=Galli|first=Carlo|date=6 September 2013|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2013/09/06/la-cura-omeopatica-renzi-per-battere-berlusconi|url-status=dead|title=La cura omeopatica Renzi per battere Berlusconi|work=Europa|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006072326/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2013/09/06/la-cura-omeopatica-renzi-per-battere-berlusconi/|archive-date=6 October 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=De Gregori|first=Concita|date=31 October 2011|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2011/10/31/il-populista-di-centro.html|title=Il populista di centro|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=3 February 2022}} According to Maria Teresa Meli of the Corriere della Sera, Renzi "pursues a precise model, borrowed from the British Labour Party and Bill Clinton's Democratic Party", comprising "a strange mix (for Italy) of liberal policy in the economic sphere and populism. This means that, on one side, he will attack the privileges of trade unions, especially of the CGIL, which defends only the already protected, while, on the other, he will sharply attack the vested powers, bankers, Confindustria and a certain type of capitalism."{{cite news|last=Meli|first=Maria Teresa|date=11 November 2013|url=http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2013/novembre/11/Renzi_pensa_che_premier_punti_co_0_20131111_3a9d8bc8-4a9a-11e3-af53-696773e76c0b.shtml|url-status=dead|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113101721/http://archiviostorico.corriere.it/2013/novembre/11/Renzi_pensa_che_premier_punti_co_0_20131111_3a9d8bc8-4a9a-11e3-af53-696773e76c0b.shtml|archive-date=13 November 2013|title=Ma Renzi pensa che il premier punti a un futuro in Europa|access-date=11 February 2022}}

The Daily Telegraph referred to Renzi as "a prominent centrist voice in Europe".{{cite news|last1=Foster|first1=Peter|last2=Squires|first2=Nick|last3=Vogt|first3=Andrea|date=4 December 2016|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/03/europe-holds-breath-italy-heads-polls-critical-referendum/|title=Europe holds its breath as Italy heads for a crucial referendum|work=The Telegraph|access-date=3 February 2022}} Renzi has occasionally been compared to former British prime minister Tony Blair for his political views.{{cite news|last1=Franceschini|first1=Enrico|last2=Lloyd|first2=John|date=3 April 2014|url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2014/04/03/news/tony_blair_renzi_mio_erede_con_la_sua_corsa_alle_riforme_cambier_l_italia-82630239|title=Tony Blair: 'Renzi mio erede, con la sua corsa alle riforme cambierà l'Italia'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi himself has previously cited Blair as an inspiration for him, and said to be a supporter of Blair's ideology of the Third Way, which attempts to synthesise liberal economics and left-wing social policies.{{cite news|url=http://www.unita.it/italia/speciale-primarie-del-centrosinistra/la-scelta-di-renzi-una-nuova-terza-via-1.467451|url-status=dead|title=Intervista a Matteo Renzi di Claudio Sardo|work=L'Unità|language=it|date=22 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701083012/http://www.unita.it/italia/speciale-primarie-del-centrosinistra/la-scelta-di-renzi-una-nuova-terza-via-1.467451|archive-date=1 July 2015|access-date=3 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.formiche.net/2013/06/09/irpef-imu-e-la-terza-via-di-gutgeld-guru-economico-di-renzi|title=Irpef, Imu e la terza via di Gutgeld, 'guru' economico di Renzi|website=Formiche|language=it|date=9 June 2013|access-date=11 February 2022}} In an interview with the Italian talk show Che tempo che fa, Renzi stated that his meeting with Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton was the most interesting part of his trip to the United States because he considered them as models of the reformist left.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/chetempochefa/status/516299531261313024|title=#Renzi la presidenza Clinton ha cambiato l'America ed è punto di riferimento per la sinistra riformista mondiale|website=Che tempo che fa|access-date=11 February 2022|via=Twitter}} Renzi endorsed the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign in an interview where he also expressed admiration for the policies of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/italy-renzi-im-rooting-for-hillary-clinton/3201314.html|title=Italy's Renzi: I'm Rooting for Hillary Clinton|website=VOA News|publisher=Associated Press|date=22 February 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi is in favour of the recognition of civil unions for same-sex couples and stepchild adoptions, a situation which occurs when at least one parent has children from a previous relationship that are not genetically related to the other parent.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2016-01-31/unioni-civili-martedi-primo-scoglio-pregiudiziali-adozioni-rischio-il-voto-segreto--145908.shtml|title=Unioni civili, pressing su Renzi, ma governo va avanti. Martedì primo scoglio sulle pregiudiziali|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|date=31 January 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}} For this, Renzi was criticised by the participants of the Family Day, an anti-LGBT demonstration which took place three times in Italy; the Prime Minister was accused of having changed his opinion about the recognition of same-sex couples. Renzi participated in the first Family Day in 2007, while he was president of Florence province and a member of the centrist The Daisy party.{{cite news|last=Poli|first=Simona|date=10 May 2007|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2007/05/10/family-day-disertato-dai-ds-radicali-sdi.html|title=Family day disertato dai Ds Radicali e Sdi in piazza Navona|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Renzi was sometimes described as the de facto leader of the centre-left Party of European Socialists, in opposition to the centre-right European People's Party associated with Angela Merkel; the two leaders were together often referred to as Merkenzi.{{cite news|last=Nicolaidis|first=Kalypso|date=3 July 2014|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8ff7f1a8-01ec-11e4-ab5b-00144feab7de|title=Merkel and Renzi are the partners who can reshape Europe|work=Financial Times|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Mauro|first=Angela|date=2 September 2014|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2014/09/02/matteo-renzi-pse-bologna_n_5753578.html|title=Matteo Renzi coi leader del Pse a Bologna per il lancio della nuova 'terza via'. In dote, il Jobs act|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/italy-reformist-leader-renzi-europe_b_9661450|title=Italy's Reformist Prime Minister Is the Type of Leader Europe Needs|website=The Huffington Post|date=12 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Renzi selfie.jpeg with some supporters in Venice]]

According to public opinion surveys in May 2014, just after the European Parliament elections, Renzi's approval rating was 74%, the highest ever rating for an Italian politician serving as Prime Minister; the highest absolute consensus at 84% was recorded in November 2011 by Mario Monti, who presided over a technical, bipartisan government.{{cite web|last=Gasbarri|first=Monica|date=22 February 2015|url=http://www.data24news.it/sondaggi-nel-mondo/politici/169996-sondaggio-ipsos-per-il-corriere-della-sera-un-anno-di-governo-renzi-risale-la-fiducia-nellesecutivo-e-nel-premier-40903/|url-status=dead|title=Sondaggio Ipsos per il Corriere della Sera, un anno di Governo Renzi: risale la fiducia nell'esecutivo e nel premier|website=Data 24 News|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612200951/http://www.data24news.it/sondaggi-nel-mondo/politici/169996-sondaggio-ipsos-per-il-corriere-della-sera-un-anno-di-governo-renzi-risale-la-fiducia-nellesecutivo-e-nel-premier-40903/|archive-date=12 June 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} His lowest approval in office was in June 2015, with just over 35%;{{cite web|last=Orlando|first=Carmine|date=8 June 2015|url=http://it.blastingnews.com/politica/2015/06/sondaggi-elettorali-ixe-06-2015-crolla-forza-italia-in-ascesa-i-partiti-di-opposizione-00429875.html|title=Sondaggi elettorali Ixè 06/2015: crolla Forza Italia, in ascesa i partiti di opposizione|website=Blasting News|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} upon leaving the office of Prime Minister, his approval rating further shrank to 15% by April 2020.{{cite news|last=Rubino|first=Monica|date=2 April 2020|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2020/04/02/news/sondaggi_politici_aumenta_fiducia_in_conte_calano_renzi_e_lega-252944973/|title=Sondaggi: aumenta la fiducia nel governo Conte, calano Renzi e la Lega|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

In the 2010s, Italy underwent a wave of populism and post-modern leadership likened to Renzi's style. As a "master of telepolitics", Renzi used his own skills and accomplishments as evidence of his ability to lead, promoted the Internet as a platform for democracy, and used heavy emotional appeals along with relatable, persuasive language to advocate for his positions.{{cite journal|last=Bordignon|first=Fabio|date=January 2014|title=Matteo Renzi: A 'Leftist Berlusconi' for the Italian Democratic Party?|journal=South European Society and Politics|volume=19|pages=1–23|doi=10.1080/13608746.2014.887240|s2cid=154739617}} In 2014, Renzi was ranked as the third most influential person in the world under 40 in the 40 Under 40 list by Fortune,{{cite magazine|url=https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2014/matteo-renzi/|title=Matteo Renzi – 40 Under 40 2014|magazine=Forbes|date=9 October 2014|access-date=4 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/economia/2014/10/09/news/renzi_al_terzo_posto_tra_gli_under_40_pi_influenti_al_mondo-97732128/|title=Renzi, al terzo posto tra gli under 40 più influenti al mondo|work=La Repubblica|language=it|date=9 October 2014|access-date=4 February 2022}} and in the FP Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy.{{cite magazine|url=http://globalthinkers.foreignpolicy.com/#decision-makers/detail/renzi|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141118091305/https://globalthinkers.foreignpolicy.com/|archive-date=18 November 2014|title=A World Disrupted: The Leading Global Thinkers of 2014|magazine=Foreign Policy|issue=209|date=18 November 2014|jstor=i24577370|access-date=7 June 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20141118/renzi-among-top/|title=Renzi among the world's best 'decision-makers'|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=18 November 2014|access-date=4 February 2022}} Both as prime minister and mayor of Florence, Renzi has been renowned as an assiduous user of social networks, especially Twitter, where he is followed by more than two million people.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/news/twitter-renzi/|url-status=dead|title=Twitter Renzi|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020045859/http://www.huffingtonpost.it/news/twitter-renzi/|archive-date=20 October 2017|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi's use of social networks was a contributing factor to his victory in the 2013 PD leadership election.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.it/news/twitter-renzi/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116222829/http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2013/11/13/buzzmeter-twitter-segreteria-pd_n_4266188.html|archive-date=16 November 2013|title=Buzzmeter: Matteo Renzi vince anche su Twitter, tra i candidati alla segreteria Pd è il più citato|website=L'Huffington Post|language=it|date=13 November 2013|access-date=4 February 2022}}{{cite book|last1=Ceron|first1=Andrea|last2=Curini|first2=Luigi|last3=IAcus|first3=Stefano Maria|year=2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=joW_DQAAQBAJ|title=Politics and Big Data: Nowcasting and Forecasting Elections with Social Media|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-3171-3413-8}}

Renzi has stated that he is a fan of the American TV series House of Cards; some journalists, including the book's author Michael Dobbs and Enrico Letta, noted similarities between the rise to power of the character Francis Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, and the manner in which Renzi replaced Letta as prime minister in 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2014/09/30/house-of-cards-lautore-a-renzi-il-mio-libro-non-e-un-manuale-di-istruzioni/1138532/|title=House of Cards, l'autore a Renzi: 'Il mio libro non è un manuale di istruzioni'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=30 September 2014|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/prima-pagina/letta-renzi-che-squallore-e-peggio-di-house-of-cards/|title=Letta: 'Renzi, che squallore. È peggio di House of Cards'|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=30 July 2015|access-date=4 February 2022}}{{cite news|last=Macioce|first=Vittorio|date=31 July 2015|url=https://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/quegli-intrighi-house-cards-che-tolgono-sonno-enrico-letta-1157152.html|title=Quegli intrighi da 'House of cards' che tolgono il sonno a Enrico Letta|work=Il Giornale|language=it|access-date=4 February 2022}} This comparison surfaced in the media again in June 2015, when a phone conversation from January 2014 between Renzi and a general of the Guardia di Finanza, Michele Adinolfi, was leaked to Il Fatto Quotidiano.{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2015/07/10/renzi-la-strategia-per-palazzo-chigi-spiegata-al-generale-adinolfi-letta-incapace-berlusconi-e-con-me/1861589/|title=Renzi: 'Letta incapace, Berlusconi è con me'. La strategia per Palazzo Chigi spiegata al generale Adinolfi|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|date=10 July 2015|access-date=11 February 2022}} During the conversation, Renzi described Letta as "incapable" and told Adinolfi that he would replace him as prime minister, which would happen less than a month later.{{cite news|last=Guerzoni|first=Monica|date=11 July 2015|url=http://www.corriere.it/politica/15_luglio_11/letta-squallore-house-of-cards-renzi-intercettazioni-6fa5eb8c-278c-11e5-ab65-6757d01b480d.shtml|title=Letta: siamo finiti nello squallore sul modello di 'House of Cards'|work=Corriere della Sera|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} In October 2016, Renzi stated to have stopped watching the TV series after its second season.{{cite news|last=De Marchis|first=Goffredo|date=20 October 2016|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2016/10/20/news/renzi_house_of_cards-150224839/|title=Renzi rottama House of cards: 'Ho smesso di guardarla già dalla seconda stagione'|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=4 February 2022}} After Letta retired from politics in 2015, he came back to accept the PD leadership in March 2021,{{cite web|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/approfondimenti/pd-enrico-letta-chi-e|title=Enrico Letta, chi è il nuovo segretario del Pd|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=14 March 2021|access-date=8 February 2022}}{{cite news|url=https://tg24.sky.it/politica/2021/05/20/pd-letta-renzi-intervista|title=Letta riparte dal Pd: 'Renzi? Grazie alla brutalità di quel momento ho cambiato vita'|website=Sky TG24|language=it|date=20 May 2021|access-date=8 February 2022}} about one year and a half after Renzi left the PD and his new party was struggling at the polls.{{cite web|last=Suttora|first=Mauro|date=10 March 2021|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.it/entry/letta-renzi-e-larte-della-scomparsa_it_6048d7eec5b65bed87d79cad/|title=Letta-Renzi, vite segnate (all'inverso) dall'arte della scomparsa|website=L'HuffPost|language=it|access-date=8 February 2022}}

In December 2018, Renzi presented a TV series called Firenze secondo me ("Florence According to Me"), broadcast by Nove TV channel.{{cite news|url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2018/12/13/news/documentario_firenze_renzi-214155120/|title='Firenze secondo me': arriva sul Nove il documentario di Matteo Renzi|date=13 December 2018|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}} It is a historical and artistic documentary, in which Renzi presents the city of Florence, narrating historical events and showing the most famous sites of cultural interest, like Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery, the Vasari Corridor, the Basilica of Santa Croce, Palazzo Pitti, and the Boboli Gardens.{{cite news|url=https://firenze.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/12/13/news/firenze_renzi_documentario-214180256/|title=Renzi presenta il documentario su Firenze: 'Parlo di bellezza, non di congresso e chiacchiericcio politico'|date=13 December 2018|work=La Repubblica|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}}

In February 2022, the Florence Prosecutors' office requested a trial of eleven suspects, among them Renzi, for alleged funding irregularities related to Renzi's Open Foundation.{{cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.it/20220210/italian-ex-pm-renzi-to-face-trial-over-political-funding/|title=Italian ex-PM Renzi to face trial over political funding|newspaper=The Local Italy|date=10 February 2022|access-date=11 February 2022}} Alongside his consultations in Saudi Arabia, for which he received €1.1 million and was criticized due to praising Saudi Arabia's cheap labour costs and referring to it as a "New Renaissance", Renzi's public image suffered and he received criticism from Saudi dissident Sa'ad Al-Faqih.{{cite web|last=Vasques|first=Eleonora|date=7 February 2022|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/senator-renzi-received-e1-1-million-from-consultancies-in-saudi-arabia/|title=Senator Renzi received €1.1 million from consultancies in Saudi Arabia|website=Euractiv|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cite web|last=Vasques|first=Eleonora|date=10 February 2022|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/prosecutors-request-trial-against-renzi-over-funding-irregularities/|title=Prosecutors request trial against Renzi over funding irregularities|website=Euractiv|access-date=11 February 2022}}

File:Barack Obama, Matteo Renzi, Michelle Obama and Agnese Landini.jpg with Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama at the White House in October 2016]]

In 1999, Renzi married Agnese Landini,{{Cite web |last=Coppola |first=Alessio |date=2022-05-14 |title=Matteo Renzi, la biografia del leader di Italia Viva |url=https://www.true-news.it/facts/matteo-renzi-vita-privata-famiglia-moglie-e-figli-del-leader-di-italia-viva |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=True News. |language=it-IT}} a teacher, with whom he has three children: two sons, Francesco and Emanuele, and a daughter, Ester.{{cite news|last=Thubron|first=Dario|date=21 February 2014|title=Matteo Renzi: from Florence mayor to Italy PM|publisher=Agence France-Presse|quote=Aged just 39, Italy's new prime minister Matteo Renzi has been catapulted from local government in Florence to national prominence in the space of just a few months. ... Renzi is married to a former fellow Scout, Agnese, a schoolteacher, and the couple have three children.}} The Renzi family are regular Mass-goers and are active in the Association of Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts, the largest Scouting association in Italy.{{cite news|last=Allen|first=John L. Jr.|date=3 June 2014|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/world/2014/06/03/italy-hip-young-leader-captures-politics-pope-francis-era/9o9nlrsSN2ppN4xIgypVhN/story.html|title=Italy's young leader captures politics of Pope Francis|work=The Boston Globe|access-date=8 February 2022}} In addition to his native Italian, Renzi can also speak French{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ1d7NPJYE4|url-status=live|title=Matteo Renzi : 'Italie et la France doivent engager des réformes structurelles'|website=YouTube|publisher=Europe 1|language=fr|date=7 September 2014|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/oJ1d7NPJYE4|archive-date=21 December 2021|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} and some English.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA8s19u8eVs|url-status=live|title=Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Growth and Jobs in Italy|website=YouTube|publisher=Council on Foreign Relations|date=24 September 2014|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/yA8s19u8eVs|archive-date=21 December 2021|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3qBlHqWgtY|url-status=live|title=Brexit: 'British people made bad decision on EU' Matteo Renzi|website=YouTube|publisher=BBC|date=29 September 2016|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/p3qBlHqWgtY|archive-date=21 December 2021|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6BFhs8DjH0|url-status=live|title=Matteo Renzi: Italy's a kingdom of beauty, wine & food, but not No. 1 for political organization|website=YouTube|publisher=RT|date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/e6BFhs8DjH0|archive-date=21 December 2021|access-date=11 February 2022}}{{cbignore}} He is an avid football fan and supports ACF Fiorentina, the team of his hometown Florence.{{cite web|url=http://sport.virgilio.it/calcio/foto/fiorentina-udinese-matteo-renzi-valle-foto/matteo-renzi-2_mmid1214015.html|url-status=dead|title=Fiorentina: Renzi-Della Valle scatenati in tribuna. Foto|publisher=Virgilio|language=it|date=25 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831022112/http://sport.virgilio.it/calcio/foto/fiorentina-udinese-matteo-renzi-valle-foto/matteo-renzi-2_mmid1214015.html|archive-date=31 August 2012|access-date=11 February 2022}}

At the 2014 Italian local elections, his sister Benedetta was elected a municipal councillor for the PD in Castenaso, a small town near Bologna.{{cite news|last=Dirani|first=Deborah|date=26 May 2014|url=http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/notizie/2014-05-26/doppia-vittoria-casa-renzi-sorella-benedetta-e-assessore-castenaso-223109.shtml|title=Doppia vittoria in casa Renzi. La sorella Benedetta è assessore a Castenaso|work=Il Sole 24 Ore|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}} Renzi's father Tiziano was the city secretary of the PD for Rignano sull'Arno, near Florence, until March 2017;{{cite news|url=http://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2017/03/10/pd-tiziano-renzi-si-e-autosospeso-da-segretario-del-partito-a-rignano/3442924/|title=Pd, Tiziano Renzi si è autosospeso da segretario del partito a Rignano|date=10 March 2017|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=2 February 2022}} he was previously a municipal councillor for Christian Democracy from 1985 to 1990.{{cite news|last=Giusto|first=Eliana|date=21 September 2014|url=http://www.liberoquotidiano.it/news/personaggi/11691330/Tiziano--il-papa-di-Matteo.html|title=Tiziano, il papà di Matteo con un passato nella Dc e un reddito da 5mila euro|work=Libero Quotidiano|language=it|access-date=11 February 2022}}

Since 2018, Matteo Renzi's speaking engagements, particularly in the Gulf monarchies, have been a major part of his schedule. He declared income from this activity of over 800,000 euros in 2018 and over a million in 2019. In 2020, he joins the board of directors of the Future Investment Initiative Institute, a think tank financed by Saudi Arabia, with an annual remuneration of 80,000 euros. {{Cite web |title=Iv: consulenze in Arabia Saudita, Renzi ha incassato 1,1 milioni di euro. La replica: "Attività lecite" |url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2022/02/06/news/matteo_renzi_consulenze_arabia_saudita_segnalazioni_bankitalia-336740799/?callback=in&code=ODLIYZC4OWUTNWVKMC0ZZGNHLTKXNDQTOWMZMTDLN2ZLYJZI&state=c46f1c5fd9794d428caed39db4b32a99 |website=repubblica| date=6 February 2022 }}

In 2022 he admitted to be a close friend and personal advisor of Mohammed bin Salman.{{Cite web |url=https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2022/02/06/news/matteo_renzi_consulenze_arabia_saudita_segnalazioni_bankitalia-336740799/ |title=Iv: consulenze in Arabia Saudita, Renzi ha incassato 1,1 milioni di euro. La replica: "Attività lecite" |website=la Repubblica|date=6 February 2022 |language=it |access-date=2024-10-03}}

{{notelist}}

• {{cite book|title=Ma le giubbe rosse non uccisero Aldo Moro. La politica spiegata a mio fratello|year=1999|publisher=Giunti|location=Florence|isbn=88-09-01483-9}}
• {{cite book|title=Tra De Gasperi e gli U2. I trentenni e il futuro|year=2006|publisher=Giunti|location=Florence|isbn=88-09-04793-1}}
• {{cite book|title=A viso aperto|year=2008|publisher=Polistampa|location=Florence|isbn=978-88-596-0448-8}}
• {{cite book|title="La mi' Firenze". 1949–2009.|year=2010|publisher=Polistampa|location=Florence|isbn=978-88-596-0755-7}}
• {{cite book|title=Fuori!|year=2011|publisher=Rizzoli|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-17-04899-6}}
• {{cite book|title=Stil Novo. La rivoluzione della bellezza tra Dante e Twitter|year=2012|publisher=Rizzoli|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-17-05642-7}}
• {{cite book|title=Oltre la rottamazione|year=2013|publisher=Mondadori|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-04-63298-6}}
• {{cite book|title=Avanti. Perché l'Italia non si ferma|year=2017|publisher=Feltrinelli|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-07-17313-4}}
• {{cite book|title=Un'altra strada: idee per l'Italia di domani|year=2019|publisher=Marsilio|location=Venice|isbn=978-88-297-0140-7}}
• {{cite book|title=La mossa del cavallo. Come ricominciare, insieme|year=2020|publisher=Marsilio|location=Venice|isbn=978-88-297-0669-3}}

• Liberalism in Europe

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite journal|last1=Brighi|first1=Elisabetta|last2=Giugni|first2=Lilia|date=April 2016|url=https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/8de6918fb8cd721e2cde59160e623d73ff66485ed3a3e49cb546f4a4188d4044/100026/Brighi%20%20Giugni_TIS.pdf|title=Foreign Policy and the Ideology of Post-ideology: The Case of Matteo Renzi's Partito Democratico|journal=International Spectator|publisher=Taylor & Francis|volume=51|issue=1|pages=13–27|doi=10.1080/03932729.2016.1121688|s2cid=156556731|access-date=4 February 2022|via=WestminsterResearch}}
• {{cite book|last1=Coticchia|first1=Fabrizio|last2=Davidson|first2=Jason W.|year=2019|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-BOLDwAAQBAJ|title=Italian Foreign Policy During Matteo Renzi's Government: A Domestically Focused Outsider and the World|edition=E-book|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-4985-5155-7|access-date=4 February 2022|via=Google Books}}
• {{cite web|last=Cubellotti|first=Sara|date=23 September 2015|url=https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/it/publications/article/2015/italy-mixed-reaction-to-jobs-act|title=Italy: Mixed reaction to Jobs Act|publisher=Eurofound|access-date=9 February 2022}}
• {{cite journal|last=Salvati|first=Eugenio|date=March 2016|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296639585|title=Matteo Renzi: A New Leadership Style for the Italian Democratic Party and Italian Politics|journal=Modern Italy|publisher=Association for the Study of Modern Italy via Cambridge University Press|volume=21|issue=1|pages=7–18|doi=10.1017/mit.2015.2|s2cid=147492245|access-date=4 February 2022|via=ResearchGate|doi-access=free}}

{{Wikinews category}}

{{Commons category|Matteo Renzi}}

{{Wikiquote|Matteo Renzi}}

• {{C-SPAN|96692}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140312225348/http://www.palazzochigi.it/Presidente/index.html Official website of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers] {{in lang|it}}
• [http://www.matteorenzi.it/ Renzi's personal website] {{in lang|it}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222204636/http://www.partitodemocratico.it/utenti/profilo.htm?id=3348 Renzi on the Partito Democratico website, when he still was national secretary] {{in lang|it}}

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{{s-bef|before=Michele Gesualdi}}

{{s-ttl|title=President of the Province of Florence|years=2004–2009}}

{{s-aft|after=Andrea Barducci}}

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{{s-bef|before=Leonardo Domenici}}

{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Florence|years=2009–2014}}

{{s-aft|after=Dario Nardella}}

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{{s-bef|before=Enrico Letta}}

{{s-ttl|title=Prime Minister of Italy|years=2014–2016}}

{{s-aft|after=Paolo Gentiloni}}

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{{s-bef|before=Guglielmo Epifani}}

{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Democratic Party|years=2013–2017}}

{{s-aft|after=Matteo Orfini}}

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{{s-bef|before=Matteo Orfini}}

{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Democratic Party|years=2017–2018}}

{{s-aft|after=Maurizio Martina}}

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{{s-new|party}}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of Italia Viva|years=2019–present}}

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{{s-end}}

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Category:1975 births

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