M5S open to external candidates-Di Maio (3)

(ANSA) - Rome, January 9 - Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio said Tuesday his group was open to external candidates, as well as those chosen by its online candidacy process, for the March 4 general election. Speaking on talk show Porta a Porta, he said "that means giving opportunities to people who work in schools, associations, to businesspeople, to take part in our process". Di Maio said the other parties were picking candidates from inside their ranks while "we are doing a public selection and we are identifying the best minds".
    Di Maio said that the external candidates, too, would have to go through the so-called 'parlamentarie' online selection process.
    He said he was thinking of one candidate who has drawn headlines, Costa Concordia disaster 'hero' commander Gregorio De Falco. "He too will go through the parlamentarie," Di Maio said.
    De Falco was praised for ordering 'captain coward' Francesco Schettinno to "get back on board, dammit".