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On a smaller scale we have the same issue, so our town (Castel Volturno), Casale di Principe (home of the Casalesi mafia) and another town I forget the name of, have been banned from having our own mayors for 2 years and now the administration is all being managed from Caserta. Haven't seen any difference yet but hopefully less money will be misappropriated or misspent on the things we don't need (such as 30 or 40 road signs along a 200m stretch of road showing a cycle path that can't be used as one because of the high kerbs every 25m and Stop signs at the end of tracks that lead nowhere) and they will start to invest in cleaning-up the area -  the rubbish on the streets and roads outside of the old part of the town is appalling! Fortunately we do live in the old part of town but apologising to guests every time we drive them around this area gets a bit wearing!

It's happened in lots of places including Bordighera here in the North so it is not just a Southern phenomenom....

And I just heard on the RAI that a politician from Lombardy called Zametti, paid to the N'dranghetta some 200,000€ for 4,000 votes in the 2010 elections. As Penny says... they are everywhere.