# List of mayors of Taranto

The mayor of Taranto is an elected politician who, along with the Taranto's city council, is accountable for the strategic government of Taranto in Apulia, Italy, the second biggest city of the region.
Since 21 February 205 Taranto is headed by a Special Prefectural Commissioner.

## Overview

According to the Italian Constitution, the mayor of Taranto is member of the city council.
The mayor is elected by the population of Taranto, who also elect 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 1993 the mayor is elected directly by Taranto'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 (1946-1993)

From 1946 to 1993, the Mayor of Taranto was elected by the City Council.
| | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party |
| 1 | Odoardo Voccoli | 14 December 1946 | 28 February 1948 | PCI |
| 2 | Carlo Di Donna | 5 February 1949 | 2 May 1950 | PCI |
| 3 | Nicola De Falco | 13 July 1951 | 25 July 1956 | PCI |
| 4 | Raffaele Leone | 25 July 1956 | 15 December 1957 | DC |
| 5 | Angelo Monfredi | 15 December 1957 | 23 April 1961 | DC |
| 6 | Salvatore Spallitta | 23 April 1961 | 26 July 1963 | DC |
| 7 | Giuseppe Conte | 26 July 1963 | 5 May 1965 | DC |
| 8 | Angelo Vincenzo Curci | 5 May 1965 | 27 September 1970 | DC |
| 9 | Franco Lorusso | 27 September 1970 | 15 September 1975 | DC |
| 10 | Leonardo Paradiso | 15 September 1975 | 9 July 1976 | DC |
| 11 | Giuseppe Cannata | 9 July 1976 | 1 May 1983 | PCI |
| 12 | Augusto Intelligente | 1 May 1983 | 1 July 1983 | PCI |
| 13 | Giovanni Vittorio Battafarano | 1 July 1983 | 14 October 1985 | PCI |
| 14 | Mario Guadagnolo | 14 October 1985 | 1 August 1990 | PSI |
| 15 | Michele Armentani | 1 August 1990 | 1 January 1991 | PSI |
| 16 | Alfengo Carducci | 1 January 1991 | 19 November 1991 | DC |
| 17 | Roberto Della Torre | 19 November 1991 | 5 December 1993 | DC |

### Direct election (since 1993)

Since 1993, under provisions of new local administration law, the Mayor of Taranto is chosen by direct election, originally every four, than every five years.
| | Mayor | Term start | Term end | Party | Coalition | Election |
| 18 | Giancarlo Cito | 5 December 1993 | 24 February 1996 | LAM | LAM | 1993 |
| 19 | Gaetano De Cosmo | 24 February 1996 | 23 June 1996 | LAM | LAM | 1993 |
| 19 | Gaetano De Cosmo | 23 June 1996 | 1 May 2000 | LAM | LAM • FI • AN | 1996 |
| 20 | Rossana Di Bello | 1 May 2000 | 4 April 2005 | FI | FI • AN • CCD | 2000 |
| 20 | Rossana Di Bello | 4 April 2005 | 18 February 2006 | FI | FI • AN • UDC | 2005 |
| Special Prefectural Commissioner tenure (18 February 2006 – 14 June 2007) ||||||||
| 21 | Ippazio Stefano | 14 June 2007 | 22 May 2012 | PRC SEL | PRC • PdCI • FdV | 2007 |
| 21 | Ippazio Stefano | 22 May 2012 | 29 June 2017 | PRC SEL | PD • SEL • IdV • PSI | 2012 |
| 22 | Rinaldo Melucci | 29 June 2017 | 16 November 2021 | PD | PD • PSI | 2017 |
| Special Prefectural Commissioner tenure (16 November 2021 – 17 June 2022) ||||||||
| (22) | Rinaldo Melucci | 17 June 2022 | 21 February 2025 | PD IV | PD • SI • M5S • EV | 2022 |
| Special Prefectural Commissioner tenure (since 21 February 2025) ||||||||

#### Notes

* ↑ Resigned.
* ↑ As deputy Mayor.
* ↑ Resigned.
* ↑ Ousted out of office after losing the majority in the City Council.
* ↑ Ousted out of office after losing the majority in the City Council.