Party funding to be halved after House vote Move comes amid public disaffection with political class

(ANSA) - Rome, May 23 - Italy's political parties are set to see their funding slashed after the Lower House voted to halve their electoral reimbursements.The move comes amid widespread public skepticism about the effectiveness and honesty of the country's parties following a series of corruption scandals to hit various parts of the political spectrum.State funding will be cut to 91 million euros per year.The so-called 'anti-politics' Five Star movement of comedian Beppe Grillo capitalised on the disaffection to make big gains at local elections this month, with their candidate being voted in mayor of Parma on Monday.Grillo, who is opposed to the current party system and has said Italy should abandon the euro, has called for party funding to be abolished completely Commentators said the public's disaffection with the established parties was also shown in the low turnout registered in this month's elections, which voted in administrations for around 1,000 Italian towns and cities.The three main political groups supporting Premier Mario Monti's emergency government of non-political technocrats have also reached an agreement for measures to create greater transparency in party funding in a bid to combat the negative perception of the country's political class.