Rome is finally going to be ruled by a woman.
Virginia Raggi, a 37-year-old lawyer and local councilwoman, won the Italian capital's mayoral race in a landslide this week, Al Jazeera reported. She's reportedly the first woman to serve as mayor in the city's 2,700-plus-year history, and the youngest politician ever to claim the post.
Raggi wrote on Facebook, as translated by The Cut, “The first thing that I feel like saying, that comes from deep inside me, is that finally Rome will have a female mayor. In an historical moment where equal opportunities are still a pipe dream, I consider this news of extraordinary value.”
Raggi was relatively anonymous until she hopped on the campaign trail a couple of months ago. But she was not the only one who won big in the recent election. Her party, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, or M5S, saw victories in 19 out of 20 towns and cities where they had candidates running for mayor, CNN reported.
Raggi, who will turn 38 next month, has promised she will tackle the city’s enduring problems — including its colossal municipal debt, crumbling infrastructure, and widespread corruption.
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