Outgoing Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said late Friday he had accepted an offer to become the leader of a centrist coalition fighting elections due on February 24-25.
Monti said at a Rome press conference he had accepted "to be designated as coalition leader," after receiving "ample and credible support" from centrist parties for the reform manifesto that he had presented on Sunday.
The decision means that the 69-year-old economist will be the centrist prime ministerial candidate, but he said he will not run for a parliamentary seat as he is already a senator for life.
Monti said he was sure his coalition could "score significant results."