By Martin Fell
Italy has appointed Mario Monti as its new prime minister as controversial former-leader Silvio Berlusconi steps down.
President Giorgio Napolitano has urged the Italian people to get behind the new leader as the country vies to sort out its debt problems.
Mr Monti – known as Super Mario – is a 68-year-old liberal economics professor and former Brussels commissioner. He has not yet decided who will be in his cabinet and is expected to appoint members today (Monday November 14th).
Speaking to reporters after taking control of the country, Mr Monti said: "Italy must again be, and must increasingly be, an element of strength, not weakness, in a European Union."
Meanwhile, Silvio Berlusconi, who stepped down amid jeering, said he would support a technocrat government and would re-double his efforts to overhaul Italy's tax and justice regulations.
Berlusconi has courted controversy for many years and the public appeared to be getting increasingly concerned about his ability to deal with the huge debts that Italy has accrued since World War II.
