Rome, March 13 (Reuters): An Italian electoral body barred the granddaughter of wartime dictator Benito Mussolini from contesting in local elections in April, ruling that she had forged signatures needed to allow her to stand in the vote.

Alessandra Mussolini, leader of the far-right Social Alternative movement, had intended to run for the presidency of Lazio region ? one of the 14 regions being contested in key elections to be held on April 3 and 4.

Mussolini said she would appeal the ruling by the electoral commission which ruled that 871 signatures of support that Mussolini had presented had been forged.

?This is an affront to democracy. If they?re going to exclude the Social Alternative, they have to exclude all the parties because all the signature lists are false,? Mussolini said.