Criminal-record holders banned from Italian elections

(ANSA) Rome, December 6 - The Italian government on Thursday approved a decree that bans anyone sentenced to two or more years in jail from running for political office. The measures ''create the conditions for a transparent representation system in parliament'', according to a statement released after a cabinet meeting.. The decree aims to ''give back to citizens the possibility of having faith again in candidates running in European, national and regional elections, and in the institutions they represent''. Those convicted of crimes involving a jail sentence of two years or more will be banned from running for political office or accepting government posts for a period of six years, according to the new decree. This factor is ''identified on the basis of an objective indicator, that is predetermined and that doesn't offer any selection process within a list of crimes in a way that could appear arbitrary'', the statement said. Monti said he did not think a looming threat to withdraw support from his government by ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi was linked to the decree. Berlusconi's People of Freedom party has several members who could be affected by the 'clean lists' measure.