After holding a fragile coalition government together for ten months of tumult, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta will hand in his resignation on Friday after his Democratic Party backed a call for a new administration – Italy’s third government in a year.

Letta's decision to quit came after the Democratic Party (PD), the largest party in the ruling coalition, overwhelmingly supported a call by its 39-year-old leader Matteo Renzi who hammered Letta’s inability to to pass major reforms.

“Italy cannot live in a situation of uncertainty and instability. We are at a crossroads,” Renzi told the PD’s leadership committee.  After the meeting, Renzi thanked Letta for his “remarkable work”.

Renzi is the mayor of Florence and described in his own words as “ambitious”.  He will likely take over as Prime Minister, carrying with him the handicaps of never having held national office, never having been elected to parliament, and having experienced only local politics in Florence.