Rome elects first female mayor
/Courtesy of Twitter
By Lee Han-soo
Rome elected Virginia Raggi as its first female mayor on Sunday.
Raggi, 37, a lawyer and a member of the anti-establishment party Five Star Movement formed in 2009, polled 66 percent of the vote to defeat Roberto Giachetti (32 percent).
The victory is seen as a dire warning for Prime Minister Mattaeo Renzi and the ruling Democratic Party.
Raggi’s election has put the Five Star Movement Party to the test, with businessmen, officials and politicians on trial for alleged involvement in a criminal network.
The Five Star Movement Party, which takes a tough stance against corruption, has received much support from Rome citizens tired of corruption scandals plaguing the city.
Raggi’s success could provide a platform for change in the ruling party at the general elections in 2018.