The Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank would almost certainly have gone bust without Rigor Montis’s loan of 3.9 billion euro, an amount equal to how much Italian families have contributed for the IMU property tax. (…)

MPS was privatised in 1995 and from then on it has been controlled by a charitable Foundation. Until a few months ago, 55% of the Foundation was in the hands of members appointed by the Region of Tuscany, by the Province of Siena, and by the municipality of Siena – all bodies that are controlled by the PD.