Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has said Italy has a mandate to change the future of Europe, after his resounding success in Sunday’s EU election. <br /><br />Renzi’s centre-left Democratic Party won more than 40 percent of the vote, fighting off a late challenge from Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star movement. <br /><br />‘‘Italy is present. Italy is stronger than the fears going through it. Italy is capable of playing a strong role is shaping Europe’s current path. First and foremost I feel this responsibility,’‘ Renzi said. <br /><br />The result, was the Italian centre-left’s best electoral victory bolstered even further by the high turnout of 60 percent. <br /><br />Commentators on Monday claimed Renzi was now in the driving seat to push through economic and political reforms and may also call a snap national election to consolidate his power in parliament. <br /><br />In contrast, Sunday’s election was a bitter defeat for stand-up comic Beppe Grillo’s 5-Star movement which polled just over 20 percent. During the campaign he claimed he would win or give up politics.
