ROME: Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge from Sicily who is seen as a symbol of Italy’s battle against organised crime, was elected the country’s new president on Saturday.

The 73-year-old Sicilian, who was backed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD), succeeds the hugely popular Giorgio Napolitano, who stepped down because of his advanced age.

Mattarella is little known to the public, but is widely respected in politics after a 25-year parliamentary career and several stints as minister in governments of the left and right.

Renowned for his integrity, he entered politics after his elder brother was murdered by the Sicilian mafia.

Mattarella won 665 votes in the fourth round of voting by a 1,009-member electoral college, composed of members of the two houses of parliament -- the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies -- and 58 representatives of the regions.

Ferdinando Imposimato, the candidate of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement of Beppe Grillo, won 127 votes.

Italian presidential elections are nothing if not unpredictable, meaning the vote was not devoid of suspense.

Published in Dawn February 1st, 2015

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