Salvini shortlists 'friends and family' for European elections

ROME - Italian populist League party has published the roster of candidates running in the forthcoming European elections, official sources reported on Wednesday.

A dismal picture painted by Italy Interior Minister and party leader Matteo Salvini, as the candidates are known associates and family members of ‘the Capitan’, with some currently under investigation.

In the outhern region, Salvini has designated Massimo Casanova, the owner of the notorious Papeete Beach Resort, a known holiday destination for the Interior Minister. Casanova owns beach resorts near Lesina under investigation for alleged abuses of planning regulations. Also running in the south is Giancarlo Cerelli, author of the infamous pro-life manifesto endorsed by Salvini.

Running in the central Italy region are anti-Euro economists and firm supporters of ‘the captain’ Antonio Maria Rinaldi and Francesca Donato.

Angelo Attanguile, ex-campaign manager for Salvini in the Sicilian regional elections and under investigation for buying votes, is running in the Islands region.

Running in the Northern region, the stronghold of the League, is Gianna Gancia – wife of the League’s representative in parliament Roberto Calderoli.

Anna Bonfrisco and Silvia Sardone are running respectively in the Northern and Central regions. Known for being firm members of Berlusconi’s party ‘Go Italy’, the two ‘trasformiste’ have now jumped on the bandwagon of the likely winner (according to recent polls).

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