Giovanni Toti resigned as Liguria
governor on Friday.
Toti has been under house arrest since May 7 in relation to a
corruption probe regarding alleged bribes in which cash for an
election campaign was exchanged for favours, including the
extension of a port terminal concession.
The centre-right politician has said he is innocent and will be
able to show his management of the northwestern Italian region
was clean.
Last week he was issued with a second house arrest warrant
regarding a new accusation concerning election ads projected
onto a big screen in Genoa's Terrazza Colombo rooftop allegedly
funded via undeclared money from the Esselunga supermarket
chain.
Giacomo Giampedrone, a member of Toti's outgoing executive, said
regional elections would held within 90 days.
Toti's lawyer Stefano Savi said he will present a new petition
for Toti to be released from house arrest on Monday.
"I leave the region in order," Toti said in a letter released
via his lawyer, explaining that he had waited until now to quit
to enable the regional assembly to approve the region's balance
sheet.
"I go, proud of the many things done and honored to have worked
with many capable, courageous people, who will be able to take
this experience further".
The right-wing League party alleged that the case was "yet
another attempt to subvert the popular vote using investigations
and arrests.
"The League will not be intimidated and the citizens will know
how to respond democratically, by re-electing the centre-right
coalition that has revived the region from every point of view,"
added the party headed by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister
Matteo Salvini.
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