This article, written by Simona Aimar, appears on Fortune.

What Rome’s Election of its First Female Mayor Says About Women In Italian Politics

According to legend, the last time a woman took Rome, she was in disguise. Pope John VIII is rumored to have actually been a Pope Joan, who never publicly revealed her gender. One can imagine why.

Things in the Italian capital have improved: Rome just elected its first female mayor. On June 19th, lawyer Virginia Raggi won her runoff, beating a candidate backed by the Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in a landslide. At the same time, Turin, Italy’s fourth-largest city, also elected its first female mayor, the manager Chiara Appendino.

“This is the beginning of a new era,” said Raggi in her victory speech.