# Mayor of Bari

The mayor of Bari is an elected politician who, along with the Bari's city council, is accountable for the strategic government of Bari in Apulia, Italy, the biggest city of the region.
The current mayor is Vito Leccese from the Democratic Party, who took office on 9 July 2024.

## Overview

According to the Italian Constitution, the mayor of Bari is member of the city council.
The mayor is elected by the population of Bari, who also elects the members of the city council, controlling the 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 Bari'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.

## Republic of Italy (since 1946)
### City Council election (1946-1995)

From 1946 to 1995, the Mayor of Bari was elected by the City Council.
| | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party |
| 1 | Vito Antonio Di Cagno | 21 December 1946 | 23 June 1952 | DC |
| 2 | Francesco Chieco | 23 June 1952 | 14 July 1956 | PNM |
| 3 | Nicola Damiani | 14 July 1956 | 28 March 1957 | DC |
| 4 | Renato Dell'Andro | 25 July 1959 | 14 December 1959 | DC |
| 5 | Giuseppe Papalia | 21 December 1959 | 23 July 1960 | PSI |
| (4) | Renato Dell'Andro | 1 August 1960 | 25 July 1961 | DC |
| 6 | Pasquale Prestipino | 31 July 1961 | 5 September 1962 | DC |
| 7 | Vitantonio Lozupone | 5 September 1962 | 5 August 1964 | DC |
| 8 | Gennaro Trisorio Liuzzi | 29 September 1964 | 30 July 1970 | DC |
| 9 | Antonio Laforgia | 14 October 1970 | 23 January 1971 | DC |
| 10 | Nicola Vernola | 4 October 1971 | 8 May 1976 | DC |
| 11 | Nicola Lamaddalena | 12 October 1976 | 27 July 1978 | DC |
| 12 | Luigi Farace | 28 July 1978 | 27 September 1981 | DC |
| 13 | Francesco De Lucia | 28 September 1981 | 21 March 1990 | PSI |
| 14 | Enrico Dalfino | 11 August 1990 | 28 December 1991 | DC |
| 15 | Daniela Mazzucca | 13 January 1992 | 30 November 1992 | PSI |
| 16 | Pietro Laforgia | 28 January 1993 | 6 September 1993 | PDS |
| 17 | Michele Buquicchio | 3 November 1993 | 6 June 1994 | DC |
| 18 | Giovanni Memola | 15 November 1994 | 22 June 1995 | PSI |

### Direct election (since 1995)

Since 1995, under provisions of new local administration law, the Mayor of Bari is chosen by direct election, originally every four, and later every five years.
| | Mayor of Bari | Took office | Left office | Party | Coalition | Election |
| 19 | Simeone Di Cagno Abbrescia (1944–2024) | 22 June 1995 | 14 June 1999 | FI | Pole for Freedoms (FI-AN-CCD-PPI) | 1995 |
| 19 | Simeone Di Cagno Abbrescia (1944–2024) | 14 June 1999 | 14 June 2004 | FI | Pole for Freedoms (FI-AN-CCD) | 1999 |
| 20 | Michele Emiliano (b. 1959) | 14 June 2004 | 23 June 2009 | DS PD | The Olive Tree (DS-DL-PRC-SDI) | 2004 |
| 20 | Michele Emiliano (b. 1959) | 23 June 2009 | 23 June 2014 | DS PD | PD • IdV • SEL | 2009 |
| 21 | Antonio Decaro (b. 1970) | 23 June 2014 | 21 June 2019 | PD | PD • SEL • CD and leftist lists | 2014 |
| 21 | Antonio Decaro (b. 1970) | 21 June 2019 | 9 July 2024 | PD | PD • SI and leftist lists | 2019 |
| 22 | Vito Leccese (b. 1962) | 9 July 2024 | In office | PD | PD and leftist lists | 2024 |