Crimine

The Gold Standard of Italy:

Almost one in 10 members of the Italian parliament is either on trial, awaiting an appeal, or has a conviction, only a decade after the political classes were purged by anti-corruption prosecutors.

Italy is also served by 25 MPs who have criminal convictions, the highest number ever recorded.

Research by the authors of a new book shows that another eight politicians have been sentenced but are awaiting appeal, a process that can take years, while 17 are on trial and 19 under investigation.

Italians believe that most of the people involved in running the state are furbi, or cunning, and politicians are sometimes described as diversamente onesti, or "differently honest".