Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday took over the tourism brief after Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè bowed to pressure from the premier and resigned amid probes relating to her previous business activities on Wednesday.
The switch became effective after President Sergio Mattarella signed the relevant decree accepting the resignation and authorising the allocation of the brief, upon Meloni's proposal.
Santanchè resigned as Italy's tourism minister on Wednesday evening, almost 24 hours after Meloni had said she should go amid multiple criminal probes relating to the minister's business interests.
"I won't hide a little bitterness about the outcome of my ministerial journey, but in my life I'm used to paying my own bills and often those of others as well," Santanchè, a Senator for Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, said in her letter of resignation to the premier.
"I care more about our friendship and the future of our movement".
