(ANSA) - Rome, January 12 - Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Beppe Grillo said Tuesday the number of Democratic Party (PD) members probed, indicted and convicted in the last few years was "worthy of a criminal organisation". He said "it's a national record, no one like the PD". According to Grillo, the PD "has the immoral monopoly, the record of those under investigation, but well-paid newspapers prefer to omit this".

Grillo said PD leader and Premier Matteo Renzi was "collapsing" in opinion polls and was allegedly paying newspapers for unfavourable coverage of the M5S.

The former comedian called on PD members who are under investigation "to give yourselves up". He claimed that when a mayor was probed, "nine times out of 10 they're from the PD, though it's never specified". Grillo was reacting to criticism of the M5S mayor of Quarto near Naples, Rosa Capuozzo, who has been touched by a Camorra mafia probe even though she is not under investigation.

