Former civil protection chief
Guido Bertolaso has pulled out of the Rome mayoral race as Forza
Italia's (FI) candidate in favour of businessman Alfio Marchini,
FI leader Silvio Berlusconi said Thursday.
"We have decided with Guido Bertoalso to back the candidacy
of Alfio Marchini," the center-right ex-premier and media mogul
said.
"Marchini had been our first option, and had been dropped
because of vetoes from a coalition ally," Berlusconi said,
referring to rightwing Northern League leader Matteo Salvini.
Bertolaso had been lagging in fifth place in polls that
show the League candidate, rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI)
leader Giorgia Meloni, vying with anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S) candidate Virginia Raggi for top spot ahead of
the center-left Democratic Party's (PD) Roberto Giachetti and
Marchini, hitherto an independent.
Giachetti quipped he feels sorry for his center-right
opponent, because he will have to change all his campaign
posters since winning Berlusconi's party backing.
Rome is papered with Marchini posters saying the candidate
is "free from parties".
Marchini said his slogan meant the centre-right should team
up to "free Rome" from those who damaged it.
Raggi also swiftly commented on the contradiction, saying
Marchini's vaunted independence from political parties has been
"unmasked".
Berlusconi's decision to replace Bertolaso with Marchini
"is epochal," commented Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of the
small New Center Right (NCD) party.
"It reopens a season of possible convergence among Italian
moderates".
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