Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi is not having a good day. His candidate for mayor of  Rome is getting trounced in election returns.

Projections show 5-Star candidate Virginia Raggi has about 37% or the vote.

Renzi's center-left Democratic Party and far-right candidate Giorgia Meloni were vying for second place with around 22 percent each.

Reuters reports Italy's Anti-Establishment 5-Star Flourishes in Rome, Challenging Renzi

The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement looked set to take charge of Rome following municipal elections on Sunday that saw it make gains in other Italian cities and pile pressure on Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Projections based on partial counts put the 5-Star candidate in Rome, Virginia Raggi, ahead with around 37 percent of the vote, while Roberto Giachetti, from Renzi's center-left Democratic Party (PD), and far-right candidate Giorgia Meloni were vying for second place with around 22 percent each.