MATTEO RENZI SET TO BE NAMED ITALY'S YOUNGEST PRIME MINISTER

Matteo Renzi was born on 11 January 1975. He was elected Mayor of Florence at the age of 34 since 2009 and Secretary of the Democratic Party since 2013. He was previously President of the Province of Florence from 2004 to 2009.

He is a law graduate from the University of Florence and joined the Italian People's Party in 1996 to become its Provincial Secretary in 1999.

Matteo Renzi was strongly criticized by certain members of his own party after his suggestion that Italian politicians who were of the same generation as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should retire.

In September 2012, Matteo Renzi announced that he would seek to become the Secretary of the Democratic Party, with a view to leading the centre-left coalition in the 2013 general election. He lost the December election, finishing second with 39% of the vote, compared to 61% for the winner Pier Luigi Bersani.

Matteo Renzi, is set to become the country’s youngest prime minister at 39- years-old after President 

Giorgio Napolitano summoned Matteo Renzi to a meeting at the presidential palace at on the 17^th of February 2014 by 10.30am, at which he was expected to ask the centre-left leader to form a government.

To govern, Matteo Renzi needs the support of the small New Centre Right (NCD) party in coalition in order for the Democratic Party (PD) to have a majority in parliament.

Angelino Alfano, the NCD leader has laid down conditions for his party’s support which include a contract to be signed and the condition that the government must not be tilted too much to the left.

If confirmed in the post, Matteo Renzi will be the third premier in a row picked by the president and not chosen by popular vote – following Enrico Letta and before him Mario Monti.

Italy is thus set for its 65th government since World War Two.

Enrico Letta resigned as prime minister on Friday after his Democratic Party (PD) forced him to make way for Matteo Renzi.

Until two weeks ago, Matteo Renzi objected the idea of taking power without first winning elections. However, this position has since changed when Italy’s main business lobby and its biggest labour union publicly abandoned Letta and called for more pragmatic way towards reforms.

YOUTHS IN A DEMOCRACY

Born on the 12th of February 1984 in Ermelo, South Africa. Mduduzi Manana is the South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education. He is a member of the African National Congress and also a Member of Parliament. Manana has a lengthy list of positions behind him in business and in the ANC Youth League and was elected Member of Parliament in 2009 at the age of 25. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. 

AFRICA'S YOUNGEST PARLIAMENTARIAN

Proscovia Alengot Oromait is Africa's youngest Member of Parliament. She was elected at the age of 19 in 2012, after she won the Usuk county election with 11,059 votes defeating Charles Ojok Oleny with 5,329 votes, Charles Okure from FDC with 2,725 votes and Cecilia Anyakoit of UPC with 554 votes. The outspoken youngster replaces her late father.

She is a member of the National Resistance Movement, headed by President Yoweri Museveni.

While some people feel she will not survive her term in parliament because of her age and little experience; some believe this is the beginning of change in Africa and it’s time to get rid of the overly old leaders and allow young people to take the continent forward.
Hon. Alengot's area faces challenges of clean water, electricity and poor roads among others. For now the people of Usuk have their hopes pinned on the 19 year-old MP. Hopefully, she will be in position to represent them appropriately.

God bless our youths and Save Our Democracy!