M5S begins on-line voting for Rome mayoral candidate

(ANSA) - Rome, February 18 - The anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) on Thursday began online voting to select its mayoral candidate for June elections in Rome.
    Registered M5S members resident in Rome could vote for up to five candidates among the 208 in the running from 10 am to 7 pm local time. The ten candidates garnering most votes will go through to a second-round ballot, probably on February 23 or 24, to decide who will run against the centre right's Guido Bertolaso, former head of the civil protection department, ex Lazio regional governor Francesco Storace for the right-wing La Destra, probably either deputy Lower House speaker Roberto Giachetti or former Rome executive urban planning councillor Roberto Morassut, both of the Democratic Party (PD), for the centre-left and ex PD member Stefano Fassina for Italian Left. Rome is holding elections following the ouster of PD mayor Marino allegedly over an expenses scandal last autumn.
    The city is being administered by a special commissioner, former Milan prefect Francesco Paolo Tronca, in the interim.
    M5S can count on strong support following the Mafia Capitale scandal involving alleged infiltration by a criminal organisation into lucrative city contracts.