Genoa prosecutors on Friday filed
to dismiss defamation charges against anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S) leader Beppe Grillo and M5S bigwig Alessandro Di
Battista in a suit brought by the former M5S Genoa mayoral
candidate, Marika Cassimatis.
She filed suit against the comedian and the MP over allegedly
disparaging remarks published on Grillo's blog on March 17, the
day after Grillo deposed Cassimatis as M5S candidate for mayor
of the northwestern Italian city.
A Genoa court on Monday upheld an appeal by Cassimatis
against the exclusion of her electoral list and suspended the
list of Luca Pirondini, who had replaced Cassimatis as the M5S
runner.
Therefore, there is a risk that the M5S will not have an
official candidate in the upcoming Genoa city elections.
M5S leader Beppe Grillo announced he was dropping Cassimatis
last month.
On his blog, Grillo said the movement had "no space for those
who are only looking for a post".
He also said that many people on Cassimatis' electoral list
had "repeatedly and continually damaged the image of the
Movement".
Bur after Cassimatis's court victory Grillo insisted that
"Marika Cassimatis is not and never will be the M5S candidate
for Genoa mayor".
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