CarnalNation

Though the life of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been plagued by sex scandals in recent years, it was a leading member of the opposition who has given in and resigned.

The Roman Forum reports that Piero Marrazzo resigned over the weekend from his position as governor of Italy's Lazio region, which he has held since 2005.  Lazio, a region that includes Rome, will likely elect a new leader in the spring.  Marrazzo's resignation came Saturday after news broke that he was caught having sex with a transsexual prostitute.  Video of at least one encounter reportedly exists, though it has yet to be seen; four policemen have already been arrested for attempting to blackmail the governor.

Many have speculated that the scandal was timed, since the Democratic Party leadership elections were scheduled for Sunday.  The party, the main opposition to Berlusconi's center-right party, is weak at the moment, and the scandal could not have come at a worse time for them.  Turnout in Rome and Lazio was down significantly, and many believe it was a result of the scandal.

The Berlusconi family owns a major media conglomerate in Italy, but promised Marrazzo it would not air the video.  Allegedly there is also another, longer video, showing the governor using cocaine; no one will confirm the existence of that tape, although it has been widely reported in the media as true.  Marrazzo, a married father of three, said in his resignation letter that his life has been a nightmare since the news of his encounter broke.

Berlusconi, meanwhile, is currently fighting a case of scarlet fever, a disease that apparently still exists.