[h=3]By ALESSANDRA GALLONI[/h] ROME—Italy's new Prime Minister Enrico Letta announced his government on Saturday, a bipartisan cabinet of politicians and experts whose job it will be to pull the country out of an economic slump and introduce important institutional changes, such as a reform of the country's dysfunctional electoral law.
Mr. Letta announced his new cabinet after three frenzied days of negotiations that followed his naming as premier designate on Wednesday. The new cabinet, which is due to be sworn in on Sunday, needs to win a confidence vote in both house of Parliament—votes that are likely to happen early next week.
Among the key cabinet roles are Fabrizio Saccomanni, deputy head of the Bank of Italy, who will be economy minister and Enrico Giovannini, head of statistical agency Istat, who will be labor minister. Emma Bonino, a former European commissioner, will be foreign minister, and the current European Affairs Minister—Enzo Moavero Milanesi—will remain in this role. In a sign of the bipartisan nature of the new cabinet, the head of the People of Freedom Party—Angelino Alfano—will be deputy prime minister.
Giorgio Napolitano, Italy's president, said in a statement to reporters after Mr. Letta announced his government that "our country and Europe could not wait any longer" for a government to come into existence. Italy held elections in February.
Mr. Letta announced his new cabinet after three frenzied days of negotiations that followed his naming as premier designate on Wednesday. The new cabinet, which is due to be sworn in on Sunday, needs to win a confidence vote in both house of Parliament—votes that are likely to happen early next week.
Among the key cabinet roles are Fabrizio Saccomanni, deputy head of the Bank of Italy, who will be economy minister and Enrico Giovannini, head of statistical agency Istat, who will be labor minister. Emma Bonino, a former European commissioner, will be foreign minister, and the current European Affairs Minister—Enzo Moavero Milanesi—will remain in this role. In a sign of the bipartisan nature of the new cabinet, the head of the People of Freedom Party—Angelino Alfano—will be deputy prime minister.
Giorgio Napolitano, Italy's president, said in a statement to reporters after Mr. Letta announced his government that "our country and Europe could not wait any longer" for a government to come into existence. Italy held elections in February.