In this photo taken at Chigi Palace government's office in Rome, on  Dec. 6, 2012, Italian Premier Mario Monti gestures during a press conference at the end of a cabinet meeting. Premier Mario Monti told the Italian president Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, he plans to resign following the sudden loss of support from Silvio Berlusconi's party, paving the way for early elections a year after the economist helped pull the country back from the brink of financial disaster. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)