New Winds blow over Eternal City - Italy, Rome
For the first time in its 2,769 years of history, Rome has a woman as a Mayor. Never before has a lady held such position in the Eternal City. Since last Sunday, Virginia Raggi, representative of the Movimento 5 Stelle, whose victory had already been taken for granted in recent days, sits on the highest bench of Palazzo Senatorio, located in Piazza del Campidoglio.
The new Italian political party then finds its highest expression right in the capital of Italy. Raggi has crushed the opposition candidate, Roberto Giachetti, representative of the Democratic Party (PD), with 770,564 votes and a share of 67.15 %, doubling the votes of her challenger, who only collected 376,935 votes, with a share of 32.85 %.
Her first words after the elections were "this is a historic moment, the Romans won." Who is Virginia Raggi? A 37-year-old lawyer, born and raised in Rome, married with a child, she graduated in law, specializing in information law. She worked until recently in a study of primary importance. The political spark triggered in 2011 with the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S). In 2013 she was elected in the city council with 1,525 preferences. On 23 February she made official her candidacy for mayor of the capital. Her battle horse during the campaign was the fight against corruption, along with the return in efficiency of public services, starting with transport. At the same time, Raggi demonstrated though vague on important national issues, including the possibility for Italy to leave Euro.
The first act as new Major will be an audit on the debt by 13 billion, which heavily weighs on the capital.
Reasons for Innovation
Staple in her program remains the one related to mobility. First effort will be to draw new lanes, preferring to increase and make more efficient public transport, instead of focusing on C metro line, considered too burdensome. A great investment on cycling is also on schedule. Other key points are separate collection to clean up the capital from the trash heaps (always been a big problem for Rome), the initiation of further public kindergartens and schools made more safe.
Strongly opposed the candidature of Rome for the Olympics of 2024, which she considers a waste of public money.
Pink Power in Italian Politics
Raggi is not the only woman to hold important positions at national level. Another woman of the Movimento 5 Stelle has won, again for the first time, in the city of Turin. Her name is Chiara Appendino, who defeated the incumbent mayor Piero Fassino (PD).
Beautiful Maria Elena Boschi is Minister of Constitutional Reforms and Relations with the Parliament since February 22, 2014, under Renzi government, being herself at the center of a family contention, following the scandal of Etruria Bank, where her father worked, for which he is under investigation for fraudulent bankruptcy.
Another example of the power of women in Italian politics is Mara Carfagna, a former Minister for Equal Opportunities in the fourth Berlusconi government, being member of either Popolo delle Libertà and later Forza Italia.
The power of women in Italian politics is not questioned. Let's see how they will govern for the wellbeing of Italian politics.
Movimento 5 Stelle to conquer Italy.
The new party in Italian politics, which has destroyed the Democratic Party in the last election, until a few years ago relegated to the secondary party, is enjoying a golden moment. In these votes, as many as 17 cities have seen delegates of this party take office as Mayor.
Famous for online consultations, it enjoys the sympathy of Nigel Farage, with its UK Independence Party (UKIP).
Conclusions
Time will determine whether Raggi will have the strength to govern such a difficult city as Rome. By now the Romans have decided to reward her. The Eternal City is and remains an extraordinary stage for politics. She will hardly have to prove she deserves the trust she’s been given.
Article Authored by Sonia Russo, info@soniarusso.it
