Berlusconi drops scandal-tainted allies

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has dropped former allies accused of corruption and mafia association as election candidates, in a bid to shed the image of scandal that has dogged sections of his centre-right party.

Berlusconi’s party secretary Angelino Alfano said Nicola Cosentino, a former junior economy minister whose power base is in the heartland of the Camorra or Naples mafia, would not return to parliament after the election.

Cosentino has denied any wrongdoing and party officials have said the decision was taken only to avoid the issue being exploited by electoral rivals.