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Virginia Raggi of Five Star Movement Sweeps Election for Rome’s Mayor Virginia Raggi of Five Star Movement Sweeps Election for Rome’s Mayor
(35 minutes later)
ROME — Angry voters have swept anti-establishment candidates to power in Rome and Turin, dealing a severe blow to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s political standing — and highlighting his vulnerability as he moves forward with a plan to revise Italy’s Constitution.ROME — Angry voters have swept anti-establishment candidates to power in Rome and Turin, dealing a severe blow to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s political standing — and highlighting his vulnerability as he moves forward with a plan to revise Italy’s Constitution.
Mr. Renzi became prime minister two years ago, pledging to change Italy’s sclerotic political system, but judging by the results from Sunday, voters have become tired of waiting. Mr. Renzi became prime minister two years ago pledging to change Italy’s sclerotic political system, but judging by the results from Sunday, voters have become tired of waiting.
Channeling fury over corruption scandals and ineptitude, Virginia Raggi of the Five Star Movement, a party co-founded by the comedian Beppe Grillo, crushed her opponent, Roberto Giachetti from Mr. Renzi’s governing Democratic Party, to become the first female mayor of Rome.Channeling fury over corruption scandals and ineptitude, Virginia Raggi of the Five Star Movement, a party co-founded by the comedian Beppe Grillo, crushed her opponent, Roberto Giachetti from Mr. Renzi’s governing Democratic Party, to become the first female mayor of Rome.
“A new era begins with us,” Ms. Raggi, a 37-year-old lawyer, told reporters in the early hours of Monday, as polls showed her winning by a margin of two to one. “I will work to bring legality and transparency.”“A new era begins with us,” Ms. Raggi, a 37-year-old lawyer, told reporters in the early hours of Monday, as polls showed her winning by a margin of two to one. “I will work to bring legality and transparency.”
The victory by Ms. Raggi, who won more than a third of the vote in the first round on June 6, had been expected. But in a more surprising outcome among the runoff elections across dozens of Italian cities on Sunday, another Five Star candidate, Chiara Appendino, won the mayoral race in Turin, also defeating a candidate from the Democratic Party. The victory by Ms. Raggi, who won more than a third of the vote in the first round on June 6, had been expected. But in a more surprising outcome among runoff elections across dozens of Italian cities on Sunday, another Five Star candidate, Chiara Appendino, won the mayoral race in Turin, also defeating a candidate from the Democratic Party.
Although Mr. Renzi has said that the results of local elections would have no impact on his government, in a note early on Monday, his center-left Democratic Party acknowledged a “clear defeat” in Turin and Rome, while also lauding a “clear and strong victory” against right-wing candidates in Milan, the financial capital of Italy, and in Bologna, a traditionally left-leaning city. Although Mr. Renzi has said that the results of local elections would have no impact on his government, in a note early on Monday, his center-left Democratic Party acknowledged a “clear defeat” in Turin and Rome, while also lauding a “clear and strong victory” over right-wing candidates in Milan, the financial capital of Italy, and in Bologna, a traditionally left-leaning city.
The party also said that the vote had been very fragmented, but had contained some “national indications” that would be discussed in a party leaders’ meeting next Friday. Mr. Renzi has been focusing his efforts on the constitutional referendum that will be held in October. Party leaders will meet on Friday to discuss what the party called “national indications” from Sunday’s races.
The referendum is on measures that are intended to streamline the legislative process and stabilize Italy’s fractious electoral system. It is Mr. Renzi’s most crucial political battle — one on which he has staked his political career, vowing to step aside should he lose. Mr. Renzi has been focusing his energies on a constitutional referendum that will be held in October.
If the changes are approved, he will claim it as granting him greater political legitimacy. The referendum is on measures that are intended to streamline the legislative process and stabilize Italy’s unwieldy electoral system. It is Mr. Renzi’s most crucial political battle — one on which he has staked his political career, vowing to step aside should he lose.
But the upsets in Rome and Turin mark the start of a direct challenge from discontented voters to the Democrats. They also show how citizens have continued to warm to the Five Star Movement, which campaigned nationwide on a platform of legality and change. The upsets in Rome and Turin — as well as Five Star Movement victories in runoff races in 17 smaller towns —
The results in Rome and Turin suggested voters were hungry for change and were putting their trust in the hands of relatively young and inexperienced candidates, whose very distance from Italy’s established political class is what made them attractive. suggested that voters, hungry for change, were putting their trust in the hands of relatively young and inexperienced candidates, whose very distance from Italy’s established political class is what made them attractive. They also show how citizens have continued to warm to the Five Star Movement, which campaigned nationwide on a platform of legality and change.
The winning candidates in Rome and Turin capitalized on widespread anger. In Rome, corruption scandals and rife inefficiency — manifested by a marked deterioration in city services — pushed voters to elect Ms. Raggi, a relative newcomer with barely three years of municipal experience under her belt. In Turin, voters picked Ms. Appendino over the incumbent mayor, Piero Fassino, amid frustration that he had been unable to bolster the city’s economic fortunes and that he had failed to better integrate the city’s socially disparate population. The winning candidates in Rome and Turin capitalized on widespread anger. In Rome, which has seen a marked deterioration in city services, voters chose Ms. Raggi, a relative newcomer with barely three years of municipal experience. In Turin, voters ousted the incumbent, Piero Fassino, amid frustration that he had failed been unable to bolster the city’s economic fortunes and to better integrate a socially disparate population.
“We have the possibility to build a new urban community, but above all the duty to reconnect a city that is deeply wounded,” Ms. Appendino, 32, said. “We are all Turin.” “We have the possibility to build a new urban community, but above all the duty to reconnect a city that is deeply wounded,” said Ms. Appendino, 32. “We are all Turin.”
Roberto D’Alimonte, the director of the political science department at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, called the municipal elections a crucial barometer of the public mood. “These could be viewed as a sort of midterm elections, where electors sent a strong message,” he said. “It’s true that local factors counted, but there is a nationwide climate that produced these results.”Roberto D’Alimonte, the director of the political science department at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome, called the municipal elections a crucial barometer of the public mood. “These could be viewed as a sort of midterm elections, where electors sent a strong message,” he said. “It’s true that local factors counted, but there is a nationwide climate that produced these results.”
He noted that the Democrats had lost not only to the upstart Five Star Movement, but also to center-right parties in a number of cities, like Trieste, in the northeast; Grosseto, in Tuscany; and Olbia, on the island of Sardinia.He noted that the Democrats had lost not only to the upstart Five Star Movement, but also to center-right parties in a number of cities, like Trieste, in the northeast; Grosseto, in Tuscany; and Olbia, on the island of Sardinia.
Another candidate with the Five Star Movement, Paola Massidda, won Carbonia, on Sardinia, in an area with one of Italy’s lowest employment rates.Another candidate with the Five Star Movement, Paola Massidda, won Carbonia, on Sardinia, in an area with one of Italy’s lowest employment rates.
Although mayors from the Five Star Movement already govern two large Italian cities, Parma and Livorno, the victories on Sunday night will give the movement its most prominent national spotlight yet — particularly in Rome, where Ms. Raggi’s performance will be closely watched as a litmus test for national governance. Although Five Star mayors already govern two large cities, Parma and Livorno, the victories on Sunday night give the movement its most prominent national spotlight yet — particularly in Rome, where Ms. Raggi’s performance will be watched as a litmus test for national governance.
The movement’s president and co-founder, Mr. Grillo, propelled it from a grass-roots grouping of citizens incensed by Italy’s corrupt and inefficient political class to a major political voice that took a quarter of the votes in national votes in the 2013 elections. But he has stepped aside in recent months, even removing his name from the party’s logo. The movement’s president and co-founder, Mr. Grillo, propelled it from a grass-roots grouping of citizens incensed by Italy’s corrupt and inefficient political class to a major political voice that took a quarter of the national vote in the 2013 elections. But he has stepped aside in recent months, even removing his name from the party’s logo.
Even so, he was in Rome on Sunday, reveling in the movement’s victory. He appeared at the window of a hotel in central Rome as results showed a clear Five Star gain, and he raised his hands in victory, as supporters cheered wildly in the street below. “And it’s only the beginning,” his widely read blog promised. Even so, he was in Rome on Sunday, reveling in the movement’s victory. He appeared at the window of a hotel in central Rome as results showed a clear Five Star gain, and he raised his hands in victory, as supporters cheered wildly. “And it’s only the beginning,” his widely read blog promised.
Some analysts called Monday’s results the a catastrophe for the Democratic Party’s politics and politicians, despite the fact that, under the leadership of Mr. Renzi, the Democrats had also pledged to replace Italy’s old political guard with fresh faces and ideas.Some analysts called Monday’s results the a catastrophe for the Democratic Party’s politics and politicians, despite the fact that, under the leadership of Mr. Renzi, the Democrats had also pledged to replace Italy’s old political guard with fresh faces and ideas.
“For the first time in history, the rage of Rome and Turin citizens manifested itself through the rejection of anyone who had a consolidated political or managerial experience,” Massimo Gramellini, an editorialist at the Turin-based newspaper La Stampa, wrote in a front-page commentary.“For the first time in history, the rage of Rome and Turin citizens manifested itself through the rejection of anyone who had a consolidated political or managerial experience,” Massimo Gramellini, an editorialist at the Turin-based newspaper La Stampa, wrote in a front-page commentary.
“The revolt begins in the belly, so it doesn’t make exceptions or differences,” Mr. Gramellini added, writing that voters had deemed the inexperience of the Five Star candidates an added value. “The revolt begins in the belly, so it doesn’t make exceptions or differences,” Mr. Gramellini added, writing that voters had deemed the inexperience of the Five Star candidates a plus.
Ms. Raggi in particular will face an uphill path. Rome has a debt of 13 billion euros, about $14.7 billion — perhaps much higher — and some surveys suggest that about a quarter of its roughly 23,000 employees do not show up for work on a daily basis. Public transportation and waste removal services are dysfunctional, as the piles of garbage on Rome’s streets attest.Ms. Raggi in particular will face an uphill path. Rome has a debt of 13 billion euros, about $14.7 billion — perhaps much higher — and some surveys suggest that about a quarter of its roughly 23,000 employees do not show up for work on a daily basis. Public transportation and waste removal services are dysfunctional, as the piles of garbage on Rome’s streets attest.
Mr. Renzi became prime minister in 2014, after an internal party coup ousted Prime Minister Enrico Letta. Since he took office, Mr. Renzi has managed to make some important changes, but they have fallen short of achieving the desired results in a country hit hard by a longstanding economic crisis. Mr. Renzi became prime minister in 2014, after an internal party coup ousted Prime Minister Enrico Letta. Since he took office, Mr. Renzi has made some important changes — legislation to ease hiring and firing, overhauls to education and to the country’s bloated public sector, which have yet to be fully put in effect — but they have fallen short of lifting the fortunes of a country hit hard by a longstanding economic crisis.
Mr. Renzi, Mr. D’Alimonte said, “has to change strategy with the party, because it’s clear that the current party leadership isn’t working, also his style of government, his communication, isn’t working.”Mr. Renzi, Mr. D’Alimonte said, “has to change strategy with the party, because it’s clear that the current party leadership isn’t working, also his style of government, his communication, isn’t working.”
In calling for the referendum, Mr. Renzi has argued that Italy needs a radical restructuring of the current two-house parliamentary system, which critics describe as cumbersome and slow. But Mr. Renzi “has not played his cards well,” Mr. D’Alimonte said.
The results of the vote on Sunday, Mr. D’Alimonte said, were a clear signal that change was needed.
“Even taking a risk on the Five Star Movement, which doesn’t offer any guarantees, people were willing to change,” he said.