Giorgia Meloni of the small
rightwing Brothers of Italy(FdI) party on Tuesday decided to run
for mayor of Rome, even as ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi ruled
out the prospect of the centre-right uniting behind her bid.
The media magnate added that he was sticking with the
candidate that the centre-right had agreed on - former civil
protection chief Guido Bertolaso.
Bertolaso's candidacy has been thrown into doubt after
rightwing, anti-immigrant Northern League leader Matteo Salvini
dropped his backing and said he wanted Meloni to be the runner
in the capital.
Bertolaso is currently at the centre of a furore after
saying the visibly pregnant Meloni should focus on being a
mother at this time in her life - a statement Berlusconi
appeared to agree with in statements to RAI public broadcaster
earlier in the day.
"Being mayor means being in your office 14 hours a day,"
Berlusconi said. "I don't think this could be the right choice
for Meloni... On February 12 we issued a joint statement
thanking Bertolaso for agreeing to run, and then someone changed
their mind. I think that, in politics as in life, you should
respect your word. We'll continue with the candidates chosen".
Also on Tuesday Rome mayoral candidate Alfio Marchini, who
is running on a civic list supported by the junior government
partner New Centre Right (NCD), said that if elected he would
reopen part of Via dei Fori Imperiali to traffic by local
residents.
The proposal would involve the stretch of road running from
Piazza Venezia to Largo Corrado Ricci.
The road is currently open to buses, taxis and emergency
vehicles only after former Democratic Party (PD) mayor Ignazio
Marino made good on a promise to ban private traffic in 2013.
Marchini, a former Rome city councillor, is running against
current deputy House Speaker Roberto Giachetti for the
centre-left PD, Stefano Fassina for the Italian Left (SI), and
Virginia Raggi for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement
(M5S).
City elections will be held in June.
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