Rome trip for Toti: 'Expanded immunity for those in politics'

"I did not feel abandoned (by a part of the centre-right, ndr). I don't have the abandonment syndrome and I am fine on my own'. These are the words of Giovanni Toti, the former governor of Liguria, on his first trip to Rome after the house arrest he served in Liguria for the investigation against him. Accused of corruption and illegal financing, Toti has been remanded for trial: the trial will begin on 5 November. A date that makes the leader of Forza Italia Antonio Tajani say that an attempt is being made to condition the vote in the region scheduled for autumn.

A day of meetings that began at Montecitorio where he saw Maurizio Lupi (the leader of Noi moderati) and continued at the Ministry of Transport for a face-to-face meeting with the Secretary of the League Matteo Salvini. Also on the agenda was a meeting with the head of the Fratelli d'Italia organisation, Giovanni Donzelli.

An opportunity to take stock in the centre-right for the regional elections in Liguria scheduled for the autumn. Speaking of the hypothesis of Edoardo Rixi as candidate of the coalition Toti said: 'The goal in the meantime would be to tell Rixi. As you know, I hold Edoardo in the highest esteem. We started the adventure together in the region and he is doing an extraordinary job for the territory as deputy minister for infrastructure. He has many commitments and things to do in Liguria with the role he currently holds. I understand his doubts and perplexities'.

'I believe that the immunities of politics,' said Toti, 'have fallen beyond all limits. Following a certain populism and self-righteousness, it is believed that those who do politics have privileges in themselves, but in reality they are privileges of the popular power that represents them. I therefore believe not only that immunities should be broadened, from parliamentarians to ministers, but also for mayors and governors, as indeed our division of powers and our legislation provided for before Clean Hands'.