At just 37 years old, lawyer Virginia Raggi has taken up the helm of one of the world’s oldest cities and pledged to fix its most enduring issues.
Raggi – who turns 38 next month – will also become the youngest mayor in Rome’s history.
Raggi grew up in the central quarter of Rome’s San Giovanni and studied law at the Roma Tre University before joining local neighbourhood boards.
Raggi is married to radio director Andrea Severini (who reportedly introduced her to the Five Star Movement) and the pair have a seven-year-old old son called Matteo.
The new mayor has not been shy about the significance of her appointment, beginning a victory blog post with the words, “The first thing I would say … is that finally Rome will have a female mayor”.
“At a time when equal opportunities are still a myth, this victory is of extraordinary value.”