Italy's new president gets unanimous welcome

Italy's new President Sergio Mattarella waves as he sits beside Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in a car in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Rome in this February 3, 2015 handout photo by the Italian Presidency Press Office. [Photo/Agencies]

"Some passages of his address were sharable, especially those referring to (the right to help of) poor families, honesty and respect of the Constitution," Fico added.

Positive reactions also came from labor unions. The leader of Italy's largest labor union CGL Susanna Camusso underlined the attention paid by Mattarella in his "sober and essential" words to the social rights of crisis-hit Italians.

"And it was positive that he connected the topics of social rights to national unity," she added, referring to Mattarella's mentioning of the urgency of common effort to promote development.

Besides the need to support Italian families and young generations, Mattarella also highlighted the courageous effort made by the country's entrepreneurial world in coping with the economic crisis.

"Confindustria has appreciated very much the address of the new Italian president," Giorgio Squinzi, the head of Italy's leading industrial association Confindustria said in a statement.

In response, Squinzi pledged the commitment of entrepreneurs to continue to do their part in pulling Italy out of recession. Italy needs "concrete, hard-working and honest" leaders, he said praising Mattarella's promise to fight against widespread corruption, also a priority of Confindustria.

After the swearing-in, Mattarella saluted the military forces and went to the Quirinal Palace, the presidential residence, where a solemn installation ceremony was held.