Italy education minister resigns over lack of funds for ministry

Italian Education Minister Lorenzo Fioramonti told he had resigned after failing to obtain from the government billions of euros he said were needed to improve the country's schools and universities.

The resignation is a blow to the embattled government, whose ruling parties are at odds on issues ranging from euro zone reform to migrant rights.

It also underscores the problems of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, Fioramonti's party, which is trying to reorganize amid widespread internal dissatisfaction with its leader Luigi Di Maio.

Fioramonti said shortly after the government of 5-Star and the center-left Democratic Party was formed in September that he would quit unless education spending was raised by 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in the 2020 budget.

Few believed him, even as the budget continued its passage through parliament and it became clear the government had little intention of hiking taxes or cutting spending to find the funds he demanded. The budget was approved on Monday ahead of a Dec. 31 deadline.

"It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that a minister keeps his word," Fioramonti told.

Fioramonti said he would still support the government in parliament, where he is a lower house deputy.