epaselect epa05660304 talian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi during a press conference in Rome, Italy, 04 December 2016 after the referendum on constitutional reform, with his wife Angese Landini in the background. Matteo Renzi has announced his resignation after exit polls on 04 December 2016 suggest a 'No’ vote victory in a crucial referendum to which Renzi had tied his political future. The referendum is considered by the government to end gridlock and make passing legislation cheaper by, among other things, turning the Senate into a leaner body made up of regional representatives with fewer lawmaking powers. It would also do away with the equal powers between the Upper and Lower Houses of parliament – an unusual system that has been blamed for decades of political gridlock. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO Dostawca: PAP/EPA.