Italian Mayors
Researched and edited by Alidad Vassigh

23 November 2011: Mayors play a central role in Italian national life and are a settled feature of the political system. The more than 8,000 communes are each headed by a mayor (sindaco) and elected council (consiglio communal) of between 15 and 80 members.

From the capital Rome to the smallest village, Italian communes coexist on an equal basis, although the mayors of Rome and Milan can be seen as national political figures in their own right. They also enjoy high levels of allegiance from their local populations, making their boundaries hard to amend or reform. In addition to civil registration and local public services, including roads, communes are able to run their own local police forces and provide local healthcare services. The Italian capital Rome is served by 19 municipal entities, the Municipi.

Mayors of the largest Italian cities
(Readers are invited to supply information on additional Italian cities and mayors. Please insert ‘Italian mayors’ in the subject line of any emails.)