Milan prefect takes over from ousted Rome mayor.

Milan prefect Francesco Paolo Tronca has been appointed by Italy's interior ministry to take control of Rome after the mayor Ignazio Marino was forced to step down on 30 October when 26 councillors from his own party, the Partito Democratico, and the opposition resigned, bringing an end to his two and a half year term of office.

Tronca was installed as commissioner of Rome on 1 November by the capital's prefect Franco Gabrielli. One of his first official duties was to welcome Pope Francis to the city's Campo Verano cemetery for the traditional Mass of the All Saints' feast day on 1 November.

A native of Sicily, Tronca oversaw security during Expo Milan 2015 and has been praised for keeping the event free of corruption and organised crime.

He is an expert in public safety, immigration, mediation, emergencies and civil defence and takes charge of Rome until elections for a new mayor, likely in the spring.

His appointment comes just weeks before the start of the Vatican's Holy Jubilee year which begins on 8 December and is expected to bring millions of pilgrims to Rome.

Italy's interior minister Angelino Alfano said Tronca was chosen "because the Holy Year must work as Expo worked."