Corleone wants to ditch Mafia past

A Sicilian town that goes by the unlikely name of Corleone is reportedly about to change its name; at least if a group of residents gets its way. According to the Daily Telegraph, townsfolk are keen to do away with the name because of its connections with the Mafia, particularly the legendary family made famous by the Godfather books and films. The chairman of the campaign, Antonio Di Lorenzo, reportedly said: “We are collecting signatures and hope to present a petition to the council in the New Year. With 2004 just around the corner it is no longer acceptable that the name of Corleone should be associated with the Mafia.” One popular alternative is to restore the town’s original name, Cour di Leone (meaning lion’s heart), but the plan has plenty of opposition as well. The town’s mayor Nicolo Nicolosi reportedly said: “it is utter madness. You can’t get rid of the Mafia associations just by changing the name. We have to work together so that Corleone can be appreciated for other things such as administrative efficiency – and the fight against the Mafia.”