(ANSA) - Palermo, October 31 - The regional assembly of
Sicily rejected a motion to unseat Governor Rosario Crocetta
early on Friday.
Forty-four voted against the no confidence motion while 37
voted in favour.
The centre-right and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S) had hoped to scupper the centre-left governor. Three
of 40 signatories on the motion - all members of the
centre-right - were absent for the vote.
The no confidence motion tested Crocetta's majority after a
recent reshuffling of the regional council and marks the second
time that the openly gay governor has faced down a confidence
vote since his election on an anti-mafia ticket in 2012.
Last Sunday, M5S leader Beppe Grillo attempted to drum up
popular support against Crocetta with a public demonstration.
Grillo triggered harsh public outcry when he said the
Sicilian Mafia once had a sort of "moral conduct" before being
"corrupted by finance".
Crocetta fends off no-confidence motion
M5S and centre-right fail to unseat Rosario Crocetta