Italian president quits before end of tenure

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano resigned Wednesday after almost nine years in office, before completion of his second tenure.

His secretary general took the letter of resignation signed by the 89-year-old president to the heads of the two chambers of parliament and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi for a formal view, Xinhua reported.

Napolitano, who will serve as a senator for life after his resignation, made it clear several times that he would not complete his second seven-year term, explaining that he could not ignore the signs of fatigue at his age.

Napolitano, first elected in May 2006, had reluctantly agreed to be re-appointed for an unprecedented second term in April 2013 to break a two-month-long political stalemate in parliament brought about by inconclusive elections.