Renata Polverini has handed in her resignation as governor of the Lazio region as the result of a money scandal involving the use of slush funds by a section of the governing party, the Popolo della Libertà (PdL) under the leadership of Franco Fiorito. Magistrates are investigating the use of about €800,000 of the region’s money by Fiorito.

Polverini’s exit after weeks of growing pressure from the media and the Roman Catholic Church leaves the way open for elections in one of Italy’s biggest regions. The Lazio regional government was only half way through its electoral mandate.

The elections could take place in February 2013 but it is likely that they will be combined with the general elections, which will probably be held in April or May next year.

The scandal has lacerated the centre-right parties in the regional government and shown up the factional feuds in the region’s governing PdL.

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