Elections In Italy, Austria Forecast Tumultuous Year For Europe

Italy's prime minister says he will resign after his referendum on constitutional reform suffered a resounding defeat at the polls on Sunday.

Matteo Renzi had staked his political reputation on the measures, which would have made several structural changes to Italy's government, including reducing the size and power of the Senate.

Meanwhile Austrians elected a new president on Sunday. Alexander Van der Bellen, the former head of the leftist Green Party, defeated Norbert Hofer of the conservative Freedom Party, who would have been the first far-right European president elected since World War II.

Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson discusses the latest with Sylvia Poggioli (@spoggioli1), senior European correspondent for NPR.