MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Renzi on Sunday was re-elected as the leader of the country’s ruling Democratic Party, winning the primaries with some 70 percent of votes.
"This victory was won by the entire party, but especially by those who were not ashamed of what we have reached over the past years," Renzi said at a rally after the primaries.
Renzi’s rivals, Justice Minister Andrea Orlando and Michele Emiliano, the president of the region of Apulia, admitted their defeat and congratulated Renzi with the victory.
Renzi, 42, was first elected secretary of the Democratic Party in December 2013, winning 67.5 percent of the votes. The victory led to Renzi becoming the Prime Minister of the country in February 2014. However, Renzi had to resign after the referendum on constitutional reform initiated by him has failed in December 2016.
