 Amidst the Great Recession, Berlusconi resigned in 2011, and his conservative government was replaced by the technocratic cabinet of Mario Monti.Following the 2013 general election, the Vice-Secretary of the Democratic Party Enrico Letta formed a new government at the head of a right-left Grand coalition.In 2014, challenged by the new Secretary of the PD Matteo Renzi, Letta resigned and was replaced by Renzi.