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Italy elections: Rome set to elect Virginia Raggi as first female mayor | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Rome is set to elect its first female mayor in a run-off vote in municipal elections. | Rome is set to elect its first female mayor in a run-off vote in municipal elections. |
Virginia Raggi, from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, is seen as the favourite against Roberto Giachetti of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). | |
Her victory would be a blow to Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. | Her victory would be a blow to Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. |
His PD party may also lose in Italy's financial capital, Milan, and faces tough battles in Turin and Bologna. | His PD party may also lose in Italy's financial capital, Milan, and faces tough battles in Turin and Bologna. |
Ms Raggi, a 37-year-old lawyer, won 35% of the vote in the first round two weeks ago, against 24% for Mr Giachetti. | |
Correspondents say a victory in Rome would give anti-globalist Five Star a platform for parliamentary elections due in 2018. | |
When in Rome shake up the politics | When in Rome shake up the politics |
The next mayor of Rome will find a city mired in debts of more than €13bn (£10bn; $15bn) - twice its annual budget. | The next mayor of Rome will find a city mired in debts of more than €13bn (£10bn; $15bn) - twice its annual budget. |
Romans are frustrated by potholes, piles of rubbish and serious deficiencies in public transport and housing, the BBC's James Reynolds in reports from the Italian capital. | Romans are frustrated by potholes, piles of rubbish and serious deficiencies in public transport and housing, the BBC's James Reynolds in reports from the Italian capital. |
Founded by comedian Beppe Grillo in 2009, Five Star has been campaigning against the corruption that has plagued Italian politics for years. | |
PD's Ignazio Marino resigned as mayor of Rome in October over an expenses scandal. The city has been without a mayor since then. | |
A much bigger scandal, involving alleged Mafia influence in Rome city hall, has fuelled Five Star's rise. | |
It is looking to establish itself as the main opposition party in the 2018 general election. | |
Prime Minister Renzi has staked his political future on an October referendum in which he wants Italians to back far-reaching constitutional reforms. | Prime Minister Renzi has staked his political future on an October referendum in which he wants Italians to back far-reaching constitutional reforms. |
The plan is to end Italy's tradition of "revolving-door" governments and inject stability after years of party infighting and legislative logjams. |