Rome : The 5-Star Movement leader Virginia Raggi has been elected as the first ever woman mayor of Italy. She had earned much popularity with a very famous 5-Star Movement which stirred anger among the people over wide-spread corruption.
This victory of the party in 19 or the 20 towns has weakened he Italian PM Mateo Renzi’s chances of completing a five-year term and winning a referendum he has called on constitutional reform.
Virginia Raggi, who is 37-year-old-lawyer, has clinched Rome seat for becoming the first mayor the city. She won around 67% of the total vote. Though the party has won just a handful of medium-sized towns, success in Rome and Turin could prove morale booster for the upcoming 2018 National Elections.
There have been a rise of a no of Protest Parties in a no of European countries in recent years for raising their voices on various issues. 5-Star’s major presence in Italy means that the country would be governed by a party that wants it to drop the Euro.
It is well-known that Britons are also going to vote on Thursday whether to choose Brexit or Britain. In a way the whole Europe is undergoing some drastic changes.
Raggi also sees changes in this win. She herself says,” A new era is beginning with us.”
She further adds,” We’ll work to bring back legality and transparency to the city’s institutions.”
But there is also a small source of relief for the PM Renzi. His party Democratic Party won important cities like Italy’s financial capital Milan and Northern city Bologna.
The PM has given his statement after this big jolt to his party. He said,” He will not step down whatever the results were. Rather he has pinned his political hope alive on an October referendum that will bring stability in the country.
But the recent results demonstrate that he might struggle to convince the people of the country, even the people of his country. Time is going to be tougher for him in future.
By the way, congratulations Rome for first woman Mayor !
You can read International Current Affairs from here.