Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano has asked the mayor of the city of Florence to form a new government.  At 39-years old, Matteo Renzi will be Italy’s youngest Prime Minister and will represent a marked change from standard Italian politics which normally sees much older men running the show.

The leader of Italy’s Democrats says he will commit all his “enthusiasm, courage and energy” to the task of bringing Italy back from decades of economic doldrums. 

“The most pressing emergency, which concerns my generation and others, is the emergency of labour, of unemployment and of despair,” said Renzi.  Italy’s overall unemployment rate is 12.7, but that skyrockets to 41 percent among workers 15 to 24 years old.

First he will have to form a government, no small task.  Renzi’s political experience is in Florence and he has never held national office.  He needs to cement a deal with the New Center-Right (NCD) Party to secure a majority.  NCD’s Angelino Alfano, who served as deputy prime minister until last week, said that his party’s support was contingent on a “right-leaning” agenda.

Once a new government is formed, it is believed Renzi will move on constitutional changes to ensure the election of more stable majorities.