Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who died on Friday after a long illness, served as prime minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994, and later as president from 1999 to 2006.

During his time in the two top jobs, he helped steer the country through a period of instability in the 1990s and played a major role in negotiating Rome's membership in the European single currency zone.

Current Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi paid tribute to Ciampi on Twitter, praising him as a leader who had worked tirelessly for Italy and served the country "with passion."

Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni hailed "a great Italian statesman," while former Prime Minister Enrico Letta wrote: "One of our fathers has left us. If Italy is (still) a great country then we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Ciampi."

Born in 1920 on the west coast of Tuscany, Ciampi spent much of his life working at the Bank of Italy. He was nominated the bank's governor in 1979, a position he filled until 1993 when he became prime minister, and the country's first non-parliamentarian head of the government in more than 100 years.

However, he is probably best remembered abroad for what he achieved in the post of treasury minister between 1996 and 1999. Despite skepticism among EU states about debt-ridden Italy's financial health, Ciampi guided his country into the euro project.

Ciampi was hospitalized in recent days at Rome's Pio XI hospital after his condition worsened, according to local media reports. He is survived by his wife, Franca, and two children.

nm/kms (Reuters, AFP)