Italy's outgoing premier Mario Draghi used his last day on the European stage Friday to warn both his fellow leaders and his far-right successor that a united Europe should remain their "guiding star".
European leaders gave Draghi, a hero in Brussels during his former decade-long leadership of the European Central Bank (ECB), a warm round of applause on the last day of his final EU summit.
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The 75-year-old economist was due to be replaced later on Friday as Italian prime minister by far-right eurosceptic Giorgia Meloni, leader of the post-fascist party Brothers of Italy.
As leader of the ECB in 2012, Draghi was hailed as the saviour of the euro when he faced down markets during the sovereign debt crisis, famously declaring he would do "whatever it takes" to stabilise the currency.
In Brussels, EU chief Charles Michel led tributes to Draghi at the summit table, thanking him for his work and "brio, artful phrases, and a concise, brief and powerful style".
The leaders were played a brief tribute video and, according to a European official in the room, Draghi received a long and warm round of applause before delivering his remarks.
"Part of the video statement says that the European Union is the guiding concept for all our countries," he said.
