Former civil protection chief
Guido Bertolaso is pulling 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. It is
not a new choice. Marchini had been our first option, and had
been dropped because of vetoes from a coalition ally,"
Berlusconi said, referring to Northern League leader Matteo
Salvini. Bertolaso had been lagging far behind in fifth place in
polls that show League candidate, Brothers of Italy leader
Giorgio Meloni, and anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S)
member Virginia Raggi vying for top spot ahead of Democratic
Party candidate Roberto Giachetti and Marchini, hitherto and
independent.
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