Rome mayor Ignazio Marino resigns over expenses row Published duration 8 October 2015

image copyright AFP image caption The Rome mayor was already under pressure on a number of fronts

Rome's embattled Mayor, Ignazio Marino, has resigned following a scandal over his credit card expenses.

Mr Marino has denied allegations he paid personal restaurant bills using official funds.

He offered to pay back €20,000 ($22,500) early on Thursday but later said he would stand down, when his Democratic Party withdrew its support.

Mr Marino was already under pressure over the dilapidated state of Italy's capital.

The mayor faced calls to resign last year for a series of unpaid parking tickets, and saw his popularity slump after a corruption scandal implicated several politicians, including his predecessor.

Mr Marino, who took office in 2013, was also criticised for not stopping an alleged mafia boss being given a glitzy funeral in the city

He said his resignation should not be taken as an admission of guilt, but said "political conditions" had made it impossible to continue.

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