The 5-Star Movement (M5S) said
Friday that it has suspended Parma Mayor Federico Pizzarotti
from the anti-establishment group after he was put under
investigation over appointments at the city's Teatro Regio
theatre.
"Federico Pizzarotti has been suspended from the 5-Star
Movement," read a statement on the blog of M5S leader Beppe
Grillo.
"Transparency is the first duty for administrators and
spokespersons of the 5-Star Movement.
"Given that it is impossible to have an in-depth,
objective assessment of the documents, he was suspended to
protect the honour of the 5-Star Movement".
The M5S prides itself on not being tainted by the
multitude of corruption scandals that have hit Italy's
traditional parties and it has staged outraged attacks on
Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) after several
recent probes.
So the Pizzarotti case, combined with that of Livorno Mayor
Filippo Nogarin who has been notified he is under investigation
over the Tuscan city's trash collection company, risked being a
big embarrassment to the movement.
Pizzarotti said he is relaxed, arguing the fact he is
under investigation is just a formality and denying having done
anything wrong.
Pizzarotti was the M5S's first representative to be
elected mayor of his provincial capital in 2012, a key moment in
the development of a movement that's is now challenging the PD
to be Italy's top political force.
But Pizzarotti's relationship with the movement's
leadership has been strained by several differences.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
