Earthquake in Prato, the mayor leaves. Deputy under investigation

Political earthquake in Prato. The mayor of the PD Ilaria Bugetti, investigated for corruption, has decided to resign out of 'deep institutional respect' for the administration and the judiciary and to face 'with serenity' the 'imminent judicial phases'. In her letter of resignation, the first citizen says she is 'fully convinced' that she is 'able to prove and document that I have nothing to do with the charges against me'.

The Tuscan Democratic Party rallies around the mayor, speaking of a resignation that 'has not only a value with respect to the judicial process' but 'is a gesture of love and affection for Prato'. Giovanni Donzelli, on the other hand, attacks. "There is not only a 'Bugetti case', and not even only a 'Prato case' - thunders the organisational manager of Fratelli d'Italia - In Tuscany, a system of power has come to an end because of too much self-referentiality and too little transparency. An opaque system, far from the citizens and distracted from the common good has for too long survived internal quarrels and the care of personal interests only'. 'An exit from the scene,' echoes the League, 'that smacks so much of an admission of responsibility, just a few days after the interrogation by the gip who was to confirm the house arrest.

The decision to leave was announced by the mayor in an extraordinary council meeting. Just a week ago, on Friday morning, she had received a notice from the Florence Public Prosecutor's Office informing her that she was under investigation for the crime of corruption. In particular, the deputy prosecutors accused her of having been bribed by the businessman Riccardo Matteini Bresci.

Also new is the involvement of deputy mayor Simone Faggi in the investigation. The PD exponent," writes Ansa, "was allegedly served with a notice of investigation. The mayor and the entrepreneur Riccardo Matteini Bresci, both under investigation for corruption, will be questioned on Monday by the gip. As envisaged by the Cartabia reform, they are to be heard in connection with the request for precautionary measures requested by the Florentine Public Prosecutor's Office itself: house arrest for Bugetti, in prison for the entrepreneur.

The mayor will now have to hand in her resignation to the city council: there is technically a 20-day period in which she can withdraw it. At the expiry of that date, the Ministry of the Interior will have to appoint a prefectural commissioner to manage the administration's fate until new municipal elections are called. The decision to resign, reiterated Marco Furfaro, MP and member of the PD national secretariat, is 'a great act of responsibility and respect towards the institutions and the judiciary. A very difficult choice, on a human and political level, that demonstrates his sense of the State and love for Prato'.