Rome elects first woman mayor as Renzi faces threat from M5S

Voters in Rome have elected the city's first woman mayor after the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) won a resounding victory.

Virginia Raggi (pictured) won 67% of the vote a run-off ballot with the Democratic party’s Roberto Giachetti.

There was also a shock in the traditionally centre-left city of Turin, where another woman, Chiara Appendino, was voted mayor ousting the Democratic incumbent.

Appendino, a 31-year old business graduate, won the mayoral race with 54.6% of the vote, defeating Piero Fassino with 45.4%.

“I will be a mayor for all Romans. I will restore legality and transparency to the city’s institutions after 20 years of poor governance. With us a new era is opening,” the 37 year old Raggi said after her win.

M5S was founded by comedian Beppe Grillo after the 2008 economic crisis and had been perceived broadly as a party of protest. However it now poses a threat to the administration of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his ruling centre-left Democratic Party.

Raggi, a lawyer, will take over a city that has not had a leader for eight months after an expenses scandal forced the resignation of Democratic mayor, Ignazio Marino. Rome has been run by a special commissioner in the interim.