'Institutional reasons' stopped Grasso (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso was unable to run as the centre-left's candidate in Sunday's regional election in Sicily due to "institutional" reasons, according to a statement released by his spokesperson on Monday.
    Some have blamed the poor showing of the centre left on the fact that it did not have a candidate of the calibre of someone like Grasso.
    "Senate Speaker Pietro Grasso officially communicated with unequivocal words that it was impossible for him to stand in the Sicilian region on June 25 due to reasons of an institutional nature," the statement said. "Aside from the audacious hypothesis of having the State's second-highest institutional figure resign to compete in the elections to be governor of Sicily, one cannot blame Grasso for the fact that many long weeks no alternative plan was formulated".
    Grasso recent quit the ruling Democratic Party (PD) in protest at the way a new election law was pushed through parliament.