Beyond gangland shootouts and drug trafficking, Italy’s mafia is a threat to democracy

ROME (AP) — The popular image of the Italian mob has been made famous by movies like “The Godfather” but the reality of organized crime in Italy today is far more nuanced and eats away at the heart of its democracy: local governance. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an interagency organization, says that local governments are particularly vulnerable to mafia influence and corruption, from matters such as the awarding of big public works contracts to small-town decisions about who manages landfills, parking lots and beach concessions. The southern region of Puglia, which will host this week’s Group of Seven summit, is the base of the Sacra Corona Unita, fourth on the hierarchy of Italy’s mafia clans.