List of mayors of Isernia

The mayor of Isernia is an elected politician who, along with the Isernia City Council, is accountable for the strategic government of Isernia in Molise, Italy.

The current mayor is Piero Castrataro, supported by the centre-left coalition, who took office on 19 October 2021.^[1]

According to the Italian Constitution, the mayor of Isernia is member of the City Council.

The mayor is elected by the population of Isernia, 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 1998 the mayor is elected directly by Isernia'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.

Notably, the 2012 election resulted in an anatra zoppa case: the centre-left candidate Ugo De Vivo won the runoff with 57.37% of the vote, however, the lists supporting him only received 23.59% of the vote in the first round, whilst the lists supporting centre-right candidate Rosa Iorio received 58.66% of the vote. Thus, De Vivo was elected mayor, but the center-right received a two-thirds majority of council seats, and were able to enforce his resignation.^[2][3]

From 1946 to 1998, the Mayor of Isernia was elected by the City Council.

Since 1998, under provisions of new local administration law, the Mayor of Isernia is chosen by direct election, originally every four, then every five years.

Notes