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Virginia Raggi elected first female mayor of Rome Anti-establishment candidates elected to lead Rome and Turin
(about 2 hours later)
An anti-establishment outsider has been elected mayor of Rome and become the first woman to run the Italian capital. The Italian political landscape was reshaped on Monday as two candidates from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) were elected to lead the cities of Rome and Turin, presenting a direct challenge to the centre-left prime minister, Matteo Renzi.
Virginia Raggi, the Five Star Movement’s (M5S) candidate, won 67 per cent of the vote in the run-off ballot with the Democratic party’s Roberto Giachetti. Virginia Raggi, the M5S candidate in the Italian capital, declared a “new era” after winning 67% of the vote in a runoff ballot against the Democratic party’s (PD) Roberto Giachetti, who conceded defeat less than an hour after polls closed.
Giachetti conceded defeat less than an hour after polls closed. “The result is above all expectation,” Raggi, 37, said in her victory speech. “It really is a historic result, and we must work every day for the next five years, because it will be tough. We know how Rome is, but the tougher it is, the greater it will be. We will succeed in doing what we have planned to do.”
“For the first time Rome has a female mayor in an age where equality of opportunity remains a mirage,” Raggi, 37, said in her victory speech. Raggi, whose victory had been widely anticipated, was joined by crowds of supporters, chanting, “Oh, Virginia, mayor of Rome!” and waving M5S flags.
“I will be a mayor for all Romans. I will restore legality and transparency to the city’s institutions after 20 years of poor governance. With us a new era is opening.” Related: Corruption gripes help Five Star Movement top Italy local election polls
The win by the M5S marks a direct challenge to the Democratic prime minister, Matteo Renzi, and reflects the electorate’s seething discontent with mainstream political parties. A greater shock to the establishment came in Turin, the first capital of Italy and a city famed for the carmaker Fiat, where the heavyweight incumbent, Piero Fassino, was ousted by the M5S’s Chiara Appendino. Appendino, 31, clinched nearly 55% of the vote in a run-off against her PD rival.
“It has been a long journey and finally our time has arrived. We have the possibility to build a new urban community, but above all we have a duty to heal a city which has been deeply injured,” said Appendino, after the results were announced.
Founded by comedian Beppe Grillo after the economic crisis, M5S received a quarter of the vote in the 2013 national elections but has until now failed to shake off its reputation as a protest party. With Raggi expected to take the reins in Rome when the outcome is announced on Monday, the movement would enter the heart of decision-making in the country’s capital. The M5S’s success in the two main cities will have unnerved Renzi, who is the leader of the PD, and reflects the electorate’sdiscontent with mainstream political parties.
The new mayor faces a series of problems in a city that has been leaderless for eight months, since the former Democratic mayor, Ignazio Marino, resigned following an expenses scandal. Rome has since been run by a special commissioner, Francesco Paolo Tronca, while the country’s anti-corruption watchdog has kept a close eye on the administration. Renzi’s reputation was saved by the result in Milan, where the PD’s Giuseppe Sala clinched a narrow victory against his centre-right rival, Stefano Parisi. Sala made his name in the city as chief executive of last year’s Expo world fair, which was deemed a success despite preparations being marred by protest and corruption scandals.
In Naples the PD was out of the race before Sunday’s runoff election, with independent Luigi De Magistris being reelected by clinching two-thirds of the vote against the centre-right’s Gianni Lettieri.
While across Italy the picture is mixed, reaction to the results on Monday was dominated by the M5S’ success, which came seven years after the political movement was founded by comedian Beppe Grillo. Tapping into discontent during the economic crisis, Grillo’s party received a quarter of the vote in the 2013 national elections but until now had failed to shake off its reputation as a protest party.
Its candidates have in the past been elected as mayors of a handful of medium-sized towns, but never has it clinched positions as powerful as those it seized on Sunday.
The elections marked an apparent shift in strategy from Grillo, who previously filled piazzas but who has taken a step back from frontline campaigns in recent months. In Rome for the elections, he appeared just briefly from his hotel window overnight to the delight of supporters below.
“Now it’s our turn. And it’s only the beginning,” he wrote on his popular blog, where the M5S began.
With Raggi now due to take the reins in Rome, the M5S will enter the heart of decision-making in the country’s capital. The new mayor is well aware of citizens’ bitter disappointment with her predecessors’ performance – not least the PD’s Ignazio Marino, who resigned last autumn, and the need to gain their ongoing support if she is to hold on to her seat.
“Everyone must do something small, all together, this is the change that we want,” she said. “Otherwise, if everyone works only for themselves, there’s no future. Or better, the future will be like the past.”
Related: Virginia Raggi faces five key tests if she becomes Rome mayorRelated: Virginia Raggi faces five key tests if she becomes Rome mayor
Her focus on civil engagement was echoed by Appendino, who promised to listen to residents’ complaints: “Rebuilding trust between citizens and their administration. Everyone from Turin must feel that city hall is like their home; the door will always be open.”
Raggi undoubtedly faces the harder task in Rome, where she has served as a councillor for the past three years. The city has been leaderless for eight months, since Marino quit following an expenses scandal. Rome has since been run by a special commissioner, Francesco Paolo Tronca, while the country’s anti-corruption watchdog has kept a close eye on the administration.
Battling corruption has been one of Raggi’s main campaign promises, tapping into public anger about the “mafia capitale” scandal, in which it emerged that city hall officials were involved in stealing millions from the state. Such criminality has contributed to the dire state of Rome’s public services, including rubbish collection and public transport, which are the top two complaints of residents.Battling corruption has been one of Raggi’s main campaign promises, tapping into public anger about the “mafia capitale” scandal, in which it emerged that city hall officials were involved in stealing millions from the state. Such criminality has contributed to the dire state of Rome’s public services, including rubbish collection and public transport, which are the top two complaints of residents.
Other challenges faced by Raggi come from within the political sphere; a male-dominated world where women have struggled to be taken seriously. Before the first round of voting on 5 June, Silvio Berlusconi refused to support one of the leading rightwing candidates, Giorgia Meloni, arguing that her pregnancy made her unfit for public office. Other challenges faced by Raggi and Appendino come from within the political sphere; a male-dominated world where women have struggled to be taken seriously. Before the first round of voting on 5 June, Silvio Berlusconi refused to support one of the leading rightwing candidates, Giorgia Meloni, arguing that her pregnancy made her unfit for public office.
Raggi’s critics have tended to focus on her lack of experience – she has been a councillor for just three years – saying it renders her incapable of transforming Rome.
The prime minister will be watching warily, because a successful Five Star Movement administration in the capital would be a threat to his party.
Renzi’s party appeared likely to win the vote in the country’s financial capital, with Giuseppe Sala predicted to be named mayor of Milan, receiving between 49% and 53% of the vote, a slight lead against his centre-right rival, Stefano Parisi, with between 47% and 51%.
But the biggest shock came in the traditional centre-left stronghold Turin, where the incumbent Piero Fassino was trailing the M5S candidate Chiara Appendino, who had 50% to 54% of the vote..
M5S supporters gathered outside Appendino’s headquarters to give voice to the movement’s trademark chant of “onesta” (honesty).