{{Short description|Swiss politician (born 1971)}} {{distinguish|Maria Pappas}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Maria Pappa | birth_name = | image = | image_size = | caption = | office = Mayor of St. Gallen | term_start = January 2021 | term_end = | predecessor = Thomas Scheitlin | successor = | party = Social Democratic Party | birth_date = 1971 | birth_place = St. Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | spouse = | children = | education = | occupation = politician, social worker | relatives = | website = [https://www.maria-pappa.ch/ maria-pappa.ch] }} '''Maria Pappa''' (born 1971) is a Swiss-Italian politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland, she was elected to the City Parliament of St. Gallen in 2013 and to the St. Gallen City Council in 2017. As a city councilor, she served as Head of the Planning and Construction Directorate. In 2020, she became the first woman, and the first ''Seconda'', to be elected as Mayor of St. Gallen. Upon taking office in 2021, she heads the city's Interior and Finance Directorate.
== Early life and education == Pappa was born in St. Gallen in 1971. Her parents, Michele and Saveria Pappa, immigrated to Switzerland from Calabria in the 1960s.<ref name= woz/> She was raised Catholic.<ref name="maria">{{Cite web |last=Stadträtin |first=Maria Pappa |title=Maria Pappa wieder in den Stadtrat und als Stadtpräsidentin. |url=https://www.maria-pappa.ch/ |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=www.maria-pappa.ch}}</ref> As a child, Pappa spoke Italian and did not learn German until she was in primary school.<ref name= woz/>
Upon completing her secondary education, Pappa attended business school and worked as an accountant.<ref name= woz/> She went back to school to study social work.<ref name="tagblatt">{{Cite web |last=Wirth |first=Daniel |date=2020-05-29 |title=Interview - Maria Pappa, SP-Kandidatin fürs St.Galler Stadtpräsidium: «Mein Leistungsausweis kann sich sehen lassen» |url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen/maria-pappa-sp-kandidatin-fuers-stgaller-stadtpraesidium-mein-leistungsausweis-kann-sich-sehen-lassen-ld.1224186 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=St. Galler Tagblatt |language=de}}</ref>
== Career == Pappa became a member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland in 2012.<ref name= tagblatt/><ref name= woz/> She was elected to the St. Gallen city parliament in 2013 and was appointed to the audit commission.<ref name= woz/> In 2017, she was elected to the city council, where she became the head of the planning and construction directorate.<ref name="woz">{{Cite web |date=2016-11-30 |title=St. Galler Wahlen: Sie begeistert Bauarbeiter wie Alphornbläser |url=https://www.woz.ch/!G06HA04FP8W2 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=www.woz.ch |language=de}}</ref>
In November 2020, Pappa was elected as the first woman and first ''Seconda'' mayor of St. Gallen.<ref name="tagblatt2">{{Cite web |last=Voneschen |first=Reto |date=2020-11-29 |title=St.Gallen: Starkes Zeichen für Frauen in der Politik |url=https://www.tagblatt.ch/ostschweiz/stgallen/kommentar-stgallen-hat-mit-maria-pappa-die-erste-stadtpraesidentin-ein-starkes-zeichen-fuer-die-frauen-in-der-politik-ld.2069748 |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=St. Galler Tagblatt |language=de}}</ref> Pappa defeated Mathias Gabathuler in the mayoral race. She took office in 2021, succeeding the FDP politician Thomas Scheitlin.<ref name= tagblatt/> Her term will last from 2021 until 2024.<ref name= tagblatt2/>
== Personal life == Pappa became a naturalized citizen of Switzerland in 2010 so that she could be politically active.<ref name= woz/> She is a dual citizen of Italy and Switzerland.
She is a practicing Catholic.<ref name= woz/> She was involved with the Blauring St. Gallenkappel and served on the pastoral and deanery council.<ref name= woz/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pappa, Maria}} Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century Roman Catholics Category:21st-century Swiss women politicians Category:Naturalised citizens of Switzerland Category:Politicians from St. Gallen (city) Category:Social Democratic Party of Switzerland politicians Category:Swiss-Italian people Category:Swiss people of Italian descent Category:Swiss Roman Catholics Category:Women mayors of places in Switzerland