The leader of Italy’s main opposition party, Enrico Letta, announced on Monday that he would stand down in the wake of Sunday’s general election loss.
Addressing his supporters from the Democratic Party headquarters, Letta said that he would stay on for the time being, but that he would not contest the party leadership in the next party congress. It’s unclear when the congress will take place.
Letta, who served as prime minister in 2013-2014, said that it was a “sad day for Italy and Europe.”
“Italian men and women have chosen, a clear and marked choice, the country will have a right-wing government,” he added.
The center-left party came second in the polls with 19 percent of the vote. A coalition of right-wing parties led by Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party won with 44 percent.
Meloni is set to lead Italy’s most right-wing government since the Second World War.
