Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has said he would resign following a stinging defeat in a referendum over his proposals for constitutional reform.

“The experience of my government ends here,” Renzi said in a televised address to the nation after early voting results suggested his ‘Yes’ camp may have lost the referendum by as much as 20 points.

Renzi said he took full responsibility for the “extraordinarily clear” defeat.

He will hand in his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella on Monday, Italian time.

– with Reuters