Italy's opposition Democratic party has elected Pierluigi Bersani as its new leader and opposite number against scandal-plagued premier Silvio Berlusconi. Because Italy's left is never happier than when it's fucking things up, the move coincides with the emergence of a sex scandal of one of its more prominent members, Piero Marrazzo, who runs the region surrounding Rome. It involves transsexual prostitutes!

Last Saturday, former TV presenter Mr Marrazzo resigned his position following allegations that he had paid €80,000 to four carabinieri blackmailers in return for their silence about his regular frequenting of transsexual prostitutes in the Via Cassia area of Rome. The four policemen, who were arrested last Thursday, are also believed to have attempted to sell a short film, shot on a mobile phone, in which Mr Marrazzo is seen participating in "erotic games" with a viados, transsexual prostitute.

You can learn more about the scandal here, including Berlusconi's involvement in the sex tape story (limited) and why Italians are so fond of transsexual prostitutes (because they're there). Great job, everyone!