Former Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino on Thursday was presented as the lead candidate for the Green-LeftAlliance (AVS) in the central Italy constituency for June's European elections.
Marino arrived on his bicycle at the press conference to present his candidacy at the foreign press association in Rome, just like he did for his first speech as mayor in city hall in 2013.
Marino was ousted as mayor by his former party, the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), in 2015 after a series of headline-grabbing stories that caused him to come under heavyfire.
These included an expenses case in which he was subsequently acquired.
"I'll engage with the people. It's the people who will vote," Marino said.
"I'll don't feel like a Martian or like the Count of Monte Cristo.
"I always found the 'Martian' nickname funny and it doesn't offend me.
"What I feel like is a person who wants to dedicate this part of his life to an important, historic challenge for the continent.
"My opinions haven't changed over the last two decades - civil rights, social rights, environment and a firm 'no 'to war".
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