Newsroom24x7 Desk

Courriere.it the online edition of Corriere Della Sera, one of Italy’s largest circulated daily newspapers today prominently carries the news of Italy’s President elect Sergio Mattarella visiting his predecessor (presidente emerito) Giorgio Napolitano, 89, at his residence to thank him. Napolitano resigned as President last month.

The president elect first rang up Napolitano and then visited him. When leaving the house on Via dei Serpenti, there was a crowd of news-persons and photographers waiting for him.

Mattarella, 73, a Constitutional Court Judge, got 665 votes and was elected president by the Italian lawmakers this past Saturday ending political uncertainty. He will be sworn in on Tuesday at 10 a.m. (0400 ET) for a seven-year term, taking over from 89-year-old Giorgio Napolitano, who resigned earlier in January. When Napolitano resined, The Guardian gave him the credit for “overseeing the end of the Silvio Berlusconi era”. Napolitano’s critics, due to the way he dominated politics, called him Re Giorgio.

The Italian Presidency, though ceremonial, has the power to appoint the Prime Minister.