Obama a point of reference

ITALIAN PREMIER Matteo Renzi is offering an election day swansong honour to Barack Obama, saying the first black American president “wrote an indelible page of history” that should inspire generations to come.

Renzi pointed to US job creation, investment in energy and health care as some of Obama’s domestic victories. Renzi cited the Cuba detente and the Iran nuclear deal as international achievements for the Obama administration.

Renzi writes in his weekly e-newsletter that “Obama was a point of reference for those who still believe in the American dream, for those who believe in the Democratic Party, for those who believe in politics”.

Renzi is the leader of Italy’s Democratic Party and has said he hopes Hillary Clinton wins.

Renzi writes that Obama will continue “to be a source of inspiration and encounter for the new generation”.