# Mayor of Split

The Mayor of the City of Split (Croatian: Gradonačelnik Grada Splita), colloquially the Poteštat (derived from "podestà"), is the highest official of the Croatian city of Split. From 1990 to 2007 the mayor was elected by the city assembly. Since 2007 Croatian mayors have been elected directly by the citizens. The first such election in Split occurred in 2009.

## List

Here follows a list of the 72 men who have thus far served as Mayor (or President of the City Council) of the City of Split. They were immediately preceded by the succession of podestà (city "princes" or "governors", kneževi) under the Venetian Republic. The latter were colloquially known as "poteštati", and usually also held the office of Captain of the City. The term "poteštat" has since remained as a local, traditional term for the mayor as well.

### Kingdom of Italy

Independent
| No. | Mayor | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| 1 | | Giacomo Cindro | 1755–1818 | 1806 | 1809 | Independent | Preceded by last Venetian Podestà (and City Captain) Nicolo Barozzi, who was removed in 1797. Stepped down amid political disputes in 1809. |

### French Empire

| No. | Mayor | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| N/A | Pietro Alberti | 1809 | 1810 | Independent | Acting mayor. First term. |
| N/A | Antonio Sarti | 1810 | 1810 | Independent | Acting mayor. |
| N/A | Nicolò Ivulich | 1810 | 1810 | Independent | Acting mayor. |
| N/A | Pietro Alberti | 1810 | 1811 | Independent | Acting mayor. Second term. |
| 2 | Giuseppe Cindro | 1811 | 1813 | Independent | |

### Austria

People's Party  Autonomist Party
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| 3 | Carlo Lanza | 1778–1834 | 1813 | 1814 | | |
| 4 | Pietro Nutrizio Grisogono | 1748–1823 | 1814 | 1818 | Autonomist Party | |
| 5 | Pietro Cambi | | 1818 | 1823 | Autonomist Party | |
| 6 | Leonardo Kružević | | 1823 | 1825 | Autonomist Party | |
| 7 | Giovanni Lorenzo Alberti | 1795–1879 | 1825 | 1831 | Autonomist Party | |
| 8 | Leonardo Dudan | 1798–1864 | 1832 | 1836 | Autonomist Party | First term. |
| 9 | Jerko Capogrosso | | 1841 | 1844 | Autonomist Party | |
| 10 | Michele Tartaglia | 1798–1886 | 1845 | 1848 | Autonomist Party | |
| 11 | Leonardo Dudan | 1798–1864 | 1848 | 1853 | Autonomist Party | Second term. |
| 12 | Simone de Michieli-Vitturi | 1801–1868 | 1853 | 1859 | Autonomist Party | Presided over the start of the so-called "Split Renaissance". |
| 13 | Antonio Bajamonti | 1822–1891 | 1860 | 1864 | Autonomist Party | First term. Held longest term in office as mayor of Split: headed city government almost continuously for 20 years (1860-1880). |
| 14 | Francesco Lanza | 1808–1892 | 1864 | 1865 | Autonomist Party | |
| 15 | Antonio Bajamonti | 1822–1891 | 1865 | 1880 | Autonomist Party | Second term. This time representing the Liberal Union coalition. The longest term in office of any Mayor of Split. |
| 16 | Alessandro Nallini | | 1880 | 1882 | Autonomist Party | |
| 17 | Emilio Ragazzini | | 1882 | 1882 | Autonomist Party | |
| 18 | Dujam Rendić-Miočević | 1834–1915 | 1882 | 1885 | People's Party | Resigned due to conflict with Gajo Filomen Bulat. |
| 19 | Gajo Filomen Bulat | 1836–1900 | 1885 | 1893 | People's Party | |
| 20 | Ivan Manger | 1840–1919 | 1893 | 1897 | | |
| 21 | Petar Katalinić | 1844–1922 | 1897 | 1899 | | First mayor from the Katalinić family. |
| 22 | Vinko Milić | 1833–1910 | 1900 | 1906 | | |
| 23 | Ante Trumbić | 1864–1938 | 1906 | 1907 | Croatian Party | |
| 24 | Vicko Mihaljević | 1861–1911 | 1907 | 1911 | | Served as the inspiration for the mayor character in the Velo Misto series by Miljenko Smoje. |
| 25 | Vicko Katalinić | 1857–1917 | 1911 | 1912 | | First term. Second mayor from the Katalinić family. |
| 26 | Teodor Šporn | 1879–1953 | 1912 | 1913 | | First term. |
| 27 | Vicko Katalinić | 1857–1917 | 1913 | 1914 | | Second term. |
| 28 | Frane Madirazza | 1885–1929 | 1914 | 1917 | | |
| 29 | Vicko Nišetić | | 1917 | 1917 | | |
| 30 | Teodor Šporn | 1879–1953 | 1917 | 1918 | | Second term. |
| 31 | Josip Smodlaka | 1869–1956 | 1918 | 1918 | Croatian Democratic Party | First term. Previously a member of the Imperial Council of the Austrian Empire. Later became a member of the NKOJ and the first foreign minister of the second Yugoslavia. |

### Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Yugoslav National Party  Yugoslav Radical Union  Croatian Peasant Party
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| 32 | Ivo Tartaglia | 1880–1949 | 1918 | 1928 | | Held office for 10 years. His extensive art collection formed the core of the exhibitions in the future Gallery of Fine Arts in Split. |
| 33 | Petar Bonetti | 1888–1967 | 1928 | 1928 | | |
| 34 | Josip Berković | 1885–1968 | 1928 | 1929 | | |
| 35 | Jakša Račić | 1868–1943 | 1929 | 1933 | Yugoslav National Party | Medical doctor, head of the city sanatorium. Modernized medical services in the city; began the forestation of Marjan hill. An ethnic Croat, he was a member of the Chetnik movement during World War II. He was executed by Dalmatian Partisans. |
| 36 | Mihovil Kargotić | | 1933 | 1938 | | |
| 37 | Mirko Buić | 1894-1967 | 1938 | 1938 | | |
| 38 | Vlado Matošić | | 1938 | 1939 | Yugoslav Radical Union | |
| 39 | Ivan Zlatko Vrdoljak | | 1939 | 1939 | | |
| 40 | Stjepan Spalatin | | 1939 | 1940 | | |
| 41 | Josip Brkić | 1887–1959 | 1940 | 1941 | Croatian Peasant Party | |

### World War II

National Liberation Front (resistance coalition)  Communist Party of Yugoslavia
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| Civil Commissioners Italian occupation 1941–43 ||||||||
| N/A | Bruno Nardelli | | April 1941 | 28 April 1941 | National Fascist Party | |
| N/A | Antonio Tacconi | 1880–1962 | 28 April 1941 | 1943 | National Fascist Party | Civil Commissioner (mayor) for Split after the city's formal annexation into fascist Italy. |
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| Presidents of the National Liberation Committee Wartime resistance city government 1942–47 ||||||||
| 42 | Ivo Amulić | 1911–1973 | 6 April 1942 | 15 May 1942 | Unitary National Liberation Front (coalition) | |
| 43 | Ivo Tijardović | 1895–1976 | 15 May 1942 | July 1943 | Unitary National Liberation Front (coalition) | |
| 44 | Josip Smodlaka | 1869–1956 | September 1943 | October 1943 | Unitary National Liberation Front (coalition) | Second term. Previously a member of the Imperial Council of the Austrian Empire. Later became a member of the NKOJ and the first foreign minister of the second Yugoslavia. |
| 45 | Petar Vitezica | 1903–1970 | October 1943 | May 1944 | Unitary National Liberation Front (coalition) | |
| 46 | Umberto Fabris | | May 1944 | 25 November 1944 | Unitary National Liberation Front (coalition) | |
| 47 | Ante Mrduljaš | | 25 November 1944 | 25 June 1947 | Communist Party of Yugoslavia | |

### Federal Yugoslavia

League of Communists of Yugoslavia  Croatian Democratic Union
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Note |
| 48 | Marko Šore | | 1947 | 1947 | Communist Party of Yugoslavia | |
| 49 | Ivo Raić | | 1947 | 1949 | Communist Party of Yugoslavia | |
| 50 | Paško Ninčević | | 1949 | 1952 | Communist Party of Yugoslavia (renamed in 1952) | |
| 51 | Ivo Senjanović | | 1952 | 1955 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia (renamed) | |
| 52 | Rade Dumanić | 1918–2008 | 1955 | 1963 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Presided over the start of large-scale urbanization and expansion of the city. |
| 53 | Ante Zelić | | 1963 | 1965 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Paved the road network on Marjan hill. |
| 54 | Ivo Perišin | 1925–2008 | 1965 | 1967 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Also at one time held the positions of President of the Executive Council (Prime Minister), and President of the Assembly (Head of State) of Croatia. |
| 55 | Jakša Miličić | 1926–2024 | 1967 | 1974 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Presided over major urban expansion projects and the construction of the Split 3 district. |
| 56 | Vjekoslav Vidjak | | 1974 | 1982 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Presided, along with Ante Skataretiko, over the organization and preparations for the 1979 Mediterranean Games in Split. |
| 57 | Dragutin Matošić | | 1982 | 1983 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | |
| 58 | Ante Kovač | | 1983 | 1984 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | |
| 59 | Božidar Papić | | 1985 | 1986 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | |
| 60 | Drago Urličić | | 1986 | 1987 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | |
| 61 | Gordana Kosanović | | 1987 | 1990 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | |
| 62 | Onesin Cvitan | 1939– | 1990 | 1991 | Croatian Democratic Union | |

### Since independence

Croatian Democratic Union (4)  Social Democratic Party (2)  Croatian Social Liberal Party (1)  Liberal Party (1)  Independent  Croatian Civic Party (1)  Centre (1)
| No. | Mayor | Lifespan | Term of office — Electoral mandate | Term of office — Electoral mandate | Party | Note |
| 63 | Petar Slapničar | 1932– | 1991 | 1993 | Croatian Democratic Union | |
| | Nikola Grabić | 1938– | 1993 | 1997 | Croatian Social Liberal Party | Switched political party mid-term. |
| 64 | Nikola Grabić | 1938– | — | — | Croatian Democratic Union | Switched political party mid-term. |
| 65 | Ivan Škarić | 1944– | 1997 | 2001 | Croatian Social Liberal Party | Elected to the Croatian Parliament in 2003. |
| Elected to the Croatian Parliament in 2003. ||
| 66 | Slobodan Beroš | 1945–2020 | 2002 | 2003 | Social Democratic Party | |
| 67 | Miroslav Buličić | 1952– | 2003 | 2005 | Liberal Party | |
| 68 | Zvonimir Puljić | 1947–2009 | 2005 | 2007 | Croatian Democratic Union | Resigned after confrontations with the Velo Misto List coalition partner. |
| Resigned after confrontations with the Velo Misto List coalition partner. ||
| 69 | Ivan Kuret | 1971– | 17 July 2007 | 1 June 2009 | Croatian Democratic Union | Continuation of the previous term; appointed following the resignation of his predecessor. |
| Continuation of the previous term; appointed following the resignation of his predecessor. ||
| | Željko Kerum | 1960– | 1 June 2009 | 7 June 2013 | Independent | Ran as an independent candidate. After the election, he founded the Croatian Civic Party (HGS). Elected Member of Parliament in 2011 (ran in coalition with the Croatian Democratic Union). |
| 70 | Željko Kerum | 1960– | 2009 | 2009 | Croatian Civic Party | Ran as an independent candidate. After the election, he founded the Croatian Civic Party (HGS). Elected Member of Parliament in 2011 (ran in coalition with the Croatian Democratic Union). |
| 71 | Ivo Baldasar | 1958– | 7 June 2013 | 28 March 2017 | Social Democratic Party | Ran as a candidate for the Social Democratic Party but was thrown out of the party in 2016. Founded The Split Party in 2017. Resigned as mayor after his budget proposals were voted against. |
| Ran as a candidate for the Social Democratic Party but was thrown out of the party in 2016. Founded The Split Party in 2017. Resigned as mayor after his budget proposals were voted against. ||
| — | Branka Ramljak (Government Commissioner) | 1962– | 28 March 2017 | 14 June 2017 | Independent | |
| 72 | Andro Krstulović Opara | 1967– | 14 June 2017 | 7 June 2021 | Croatian Democratic Union | |
| 73 | Ivica Puljak | 1969– | 7 June 2021 | 8 April 2022 | Centre | Resigned as mayor along with his deputies following allegations against the deputy for threats made to certain journalists. |
| Resigned as mayor along with his deputies following allegations against the deputy for threats made to certain journalists. ||
| — | Mirna Veža (Government Commissioner) | | 8 April 2022 | 15 July 2022 | Independent | Acting mayor until new is elected. |
| Acting mayor until new is elected. ||
| 73 | Ivica Puljak | 1969– | 15 July 2022 | | Centre | First mayor ever to win reelection in Split. |
| First mayor ever to win reelection in Split. ||