Residence Palazzo Pretorio Inaugural holder Salesio Balsano Succession May 2017 | Appointer Popular election Formation July 1861 | |
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Term length 5 years, renewable once | ||
The Mayor of Palermo is an elected politician who, along with the Palermo’s City Council, is accountable for the strategic government of Palermo in Sicily, Italy. The current Mayor is Leoluca Orlando from Italy of Values, who took office on 22 May 2012.
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Overview
According to the Italian Constitution, the Mayor of Palermo is member of the Palermo's City Council.
The Mayor is elected by the population of Palermo. 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 1993 the Mayor is elected directly by Palermo'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.
Mayors
In 1860, the nascent Kingdom of Italy created the office of the Mayor of Palermo (Italian: Sindaco di Palermo), chosen by the city council.
Fascist Podestà
The Fascist dictatorship abolished mayors and City councils in 1926, replacing them with an authoritarian Podestà chosen by the National Fascist Party:
Republic of Italy (1946-present)
From 1946 to 1993, the Mayor of Palermo was chosen by the City council.
Since 1993, under provisions of new local administration law, the Mayor of Palermo is chosen by popular election, originally every four, and later every five years.