The Mayor of Florence is an elected politician who, along with Florence's City Council of 36 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Florence. The title is the equivalent of Lord Mayor in the meaning of an actual executive leader.
The office of Gonfaloniere was created in 1781 by Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. It was replaced by the office of Mayor in 1865, during the early Kingdom of Italy.
The current mayor of Florence is Sara Funaro (PD), elected on 23–24 June 2024.
According to the Italian Constitution, the Mayor of Florence is member of the Florence's City Council. Although the title Mayor is not held by the heads of the five boroughs of Florence, because they do not actually preside over self-governmental municipalities.
The Mayor is elected by the population of Florence. Citizens elect also the members of the City Council, which also controls Mayor's policy guidelines and is able to enforce his resignation by a motion of no confidence. The Mayor is entitled to appoint and release the members of his government.
Since 1995 the Mayor is elected directly by Florence's electorate: in all mayoral elections in Italy in cities with a population higher than 15,000 the voters express a direct choice for the mayor or an indirect choice voting for the party of the candidate's coalition. If no candidate receives at least 50% of votes, the top two candidates go to a second round after two weeks. The election of the City Council is based on a direct choice for the candidate with a preference vote: the candidate with the majority of the preferences is elected. The number of the seats for each party is determined proportionally.
The seat of the City Council is the city hall Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria.
In 1781 was created the office of Annual Gonfaloniere of Florence who was appointed by the Grand Duke of Tuscany every year.[1]
In 1809, during the period of the newborn Kingdom of Etruria, it was temporarily created the office of Maire of Florence.
In 1815 the office of Gonfaloniere of Florence was restored.
In 1865, the Kingdom of Italy created the office of the Mayor of Florence (Sindaco di Firenze), chosen by the City council. In 1926, the Fascist dictatorship abolished mayors and City councils, replacing them with an authoritarian Podestà chosen by the National Fascist Party.[1]
From 1946 to 1995, the Mayor of Florence was chosen by the City Council.[1]
Since 1995, enacting a new law on local administrations (1993), the Mayor of Florence is chosen by direct election, originally every four, and since 1999 every five years.
Number of votes for each party:
Number of seats in the City Council for each party:
The election took place on 23 April 1995.
The election took place on 13 June 1999.
The election took place in two rounds: the first on 12–13 June and the second on 26–27 June 2004.
The election took place in two rounds: the first on 6–7 June and the second on 21–22 June 2009.
The election took place on 25 May 2014.
The election took place on 26 May 2019.
The election took place in two rounds: the first on 8–9 June and the second on 23–24 June 2024.
The office of the Deputy Mayor of Florence was officially created in 1995 with the adoption of the new local administration law. The Deputy Mayor is nominated and eventually dismissed by the Mayor.