Mattarella elected president of Italy

(ANSA) - Rome, January 31 - Sergio Mattarella was elected Italy's new president on Saturday. Lawmakers from both houses of parliament and regional representatives broke into applause when the ex-minister, whose candidacy was proposed by Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), crossed the mark of 505 votes needed to ensure he had a simple majority of the so-called 'grand electors' in the fourth ballot. He becomes Italy's 12th president and replaces 89-year-old Giorgio Napolitano, who resigned as head of State this month.