After two and a half millennia of being ruled by men, Rome was on Monday under new management.
After two and a half millennia of being ruled by men, Rome was on Monday under new management.
Virginia Raggi was on Sunday elected as the Italian capital’s first female mayor, sweeping into city hall on the ticket of the populist Five Star movement (M5S) with the backing of over two thirds of voters.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was left reeling after stinging local election reverses that saw female mayors from M5S elected in Rome and Turin.
Ms Raggi’s triumph in Rome made her the first female leader of the capital since it was founded. And it was a win based on exactly the kind of pro-change platform and mood that had, until now, underpinned Mr Renzi’s popularity.
In his first reaction to Sunday’s losses, Mr Renzi made light of the setbacks, stressing big regional variations and arguing that the gains for M5S reflected a desire for change that his government shared.
“Those who won yesterday were those who knew best how to reflect this longing for change,” he said.
The ruling council of his Democratic Party (PD) will hold an inquest into the result of the vote on Friday.
Analysts saw the outcome as worrying for the premier because the landmark victories were achieved by M5S securing the backing or the abstention of anti-Renzi forces encompassing the far-left, the far-right and the centre right.
The redrawing of Italy’s political landscape came four months before a crucial referendum on constitutional reform. Mr Renzi has vowed to quit if he loses the vote on streamlining Italy’s parliamentary and electoral systems.
“The government will help all (the newly elected mayors) to try and do good. And we will move forward to take care of our institutional priorities,” he said on Monday.
Economist Lorenzo Codogno commented: “The bottom line is that the PD is losing ground in favour of anti-establishment parties.” Mr Codogno said the vote also marked the emergence of a “more hands-on and pragmatic” breed of M5S politician which could make the party more electable in 2018.
Roberto D’Alimonte, director of political science at Rome’s LUISS university, said Mr Renzi should be concerned by the results.
“It makes the referendum in October more complicated,” he said. “If the constitutional reform is not approved there will be a ‘Rexit’ (Renzi’s departure) and chaos will ensue. Instability in a country with debt at 130 per cent of GDP will pose a very big problem for Europe.”
The victory in Rome surpassed all expectations with Ms Raggi (37) taking 67 per cent of the votes cast in a run-off against the PD’s Roberto Giachetti.
In Turin, where the anti-immigrant, anti-EU Northern League is an influential player in local politics, Chiara Appendino (31) claimed just over 54 per cent to oust long-serving PD heavyweight Piero Fassino.
“For the first time Rome has a female mayor in an age where equality of opportunity remains a mirage,” Ms Raggi said in a victory speech.
