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Italy PM Renzi says he will resign following referendum defeat

  • Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrives with his wife Agnese before a media conference after a referendum on constitutional reform at Chigi palace in Rome, Italy, December 5, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
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    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrives with his wife Agnese before a media conference after a referendum on constitutional reform at Chigi palace in Rome

    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrives with his wife Agnese before a media conference after a referendum on constitutional reform at Chigi palace in Rome, Italy, December 5, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
    REUTERS
  • Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi casts his vote for the referendum on constitutional reform as he is flanked by his wife Agnese, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
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    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi casts his vote for the referendum on constitutional reform as he is flanked by his wife Agnese, in Pontassieve

    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi casts his vote for the referendum on constitutional reform as he is flanked by his wife Agnese, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
    Reuters
  • Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese (L) smile as they wait to cast their votes with they children during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo
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    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese smile as they wait to cast their votes with they children during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve

    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese (L) smile as they wait to cast their votes with they children during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo
    Reuters
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  • Referendum ballots are seen at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
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    Referendum ballots are seen at a polling station in Milan

    Referendum ballots are seen at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
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  • A woman casts her ballot during a referendum vote at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
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    A woman casts her ballot during a referendum vote at a polling station in Milan

    A woman casts her ballot during a referendum vote at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
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  • Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
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    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve

    Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
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  • People wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
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    People wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve

    People wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
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  • A man takes his ballot during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
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    A man takes his ballot during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve

    A man takes his ballot during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
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Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi arrives with his wife Agnese before a media conference after a referendum on constitutional reform at Chigi palace in Rome, Italy, December 5, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi casts his vote for the referendum on constitutional reform as he is flanked by his wife Agnese, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese (L) smile as they wait to cast their votes with they children during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo
Referendum ballots are seen at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
A woman casts her ballot during a referendum vote at a polling station in Milan, Italy, December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Leonardo Bianchi
People wait to cast their votes for the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
A man takes his ballot during the referendum on constitutional reform, in Pontassieve, near Florence, northern Italy December 4, 2016. REUTERS/Paolo Lo Debole
Reuters

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he would resign following a stinging defeat on Sunday in a referendum over his proposals for constitutional reform.

"The experience of my government ends here," Renzi said in a televised address to the nation after early voting results suggested his 'Yes' camp may have lost the referendum by as much as 20 points.

Renzi said he took full responsibility for the "extraordinarily clear" defeat and that on Monday afternoon he would convene his cabinet and then hand in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella. (Reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

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