Europe concerned with Italian election outcome

The post election stalemate in Italy, where no political group secured a clear majority in parliament, is causing concerns among European officials and a stir in the markets. Italian FTSE MIB fell by 4.60% on Tuesday while the yield on the country’s benchmark 10-year bond rose to 4.79%.

Throughout the day various European officials have been expressing their concerns with the outcome of the elections. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle stressed the need for a strong government in Italy, which would carry on with the reform plan initiated by Mario Monti. European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said that boosting growth and creating jobs should be the most important points on the new government’s agenda.

Spanish Minister of Economy Luis de Guindos said in the European morning that he hopes Italy would continue introducing measures to fight the crisis, while his French counterpart Pierre Moscovici expressed hope that Pier Luigi Bersani would form a government inclined to implement further reforms. Also BoE MPC members, speaking before the UK Treasury Committee, emphasized that a prolonged political instability in Italy might considerably harm the Eurozone economy.

Pier Luigi Bersani as well as Silvio Berlusconi will hold press conferences today at 16 GMT.