French finance minister: Italy vote shows Europe needs growth

(Reuters) - Italy's inconclusive election shows Europe's leaders must give their voters greater hope of a turnaround in economic growth to balance painful austerity measures, French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Reuters Euro Zone summit, Moscovici said the election deadlock was "no doubt a worry" and hoped that centre-leftist Pier Luigi Bersani would be able to use his lower house majority to form a solid and reformist government.

"When the only message which seems to be sent by Europe is austerity then at some point people cannot stand it ... There needs to be another perspective - which is growth again," Moscovici said in an interview from his Paris office.

(Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Mark John; Editing by Catherine Bremer)