Elections in Milan

Citizens of Milan elect every five years the Mayor of the city, presidents and members of 9 districts's assemblies and 48 members of the City Council, which controls Mayor's policy guidelines and is able to enforce his resignation by a motion of no confidence.

Since 1993 the Mayor is elected directly by Milan'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.

All Milan residents who are 18 years and older, hold EU citizenship are eligible to vote for the districts' assemblies. In order to be eligible to vote for the Milan City Council, one has to be 18 years old and hold Italian citizenship, too.

Elections are held about every five years. The last elections were held in May 2011.

Elections

City Council election, 1946

The first democratic election after the fall of fascism took place on April 7, 1946.

After the defeat of the Nazis forces on April 25, 1945, Socialist politician Antonio Greppi had been appointed as Provisional Mayor by the National Liberation Committee under approval of the United Nations military government. When the authority of the Italian government was restored on January 1, 1946, local elections were called in Northern Italy.

Proportional representation and Westminster system were the principles chosen to restore municipal democracy in Italy. After the clear Socialist victory, Antonio Greppi was confirmed mayor by the new City Council, and an executive board of municipal unity was formed: the alliance between PSI, DC and PCI ruled Milan as it ruled Italy at time.

Sunday, April 7, 1946. Sources: La Stampa , Unimi

City Council election, 1951

The second post-war election took place on May 27, 1951.

Political situation had deeply changed during the previous five years. A new social-democratic party had broken away from the Socialist Party, and the alliances of anti-fascist unity had ended both at national and at local level. The Communist Party had left the administration of Milan in 1949, as the remaining Socialist Party had moved to a position of abstention. Antonio Greppi had joined the Social-democratic group and formed a new alliance with the DC, the PLI and the PRI.

In 1951 Alcide De Gasperi's government changed the local electoral law to a block voting system, to ensure the leadership of its local administrations: two thirds of the seats would be ensured to the winning coalition, abolishing the proportional representation.

The national government coalition obtained an absolute majority with a 53% of suffrages, which was changed into a 66% of seats by the electoral law. However Greppi, who had unsuccessfully called for a coalition of Socialist unity between the PSDI and the PSI, was fired by the DC. Virgilio Ferrari, a Social-democratic activist, so became the new mayor.

Coalitions and parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Government Coalition	412,246	53.2	N/A	53	9
Christian Democracy	238,693	30.8	3.9	30	8
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	111,185	14.3	N/A	15	1
Italian Liberal Party	49,299	6.4	0.9	6	=
Italian Republican Party	13,069	1.7	1.4	2	=
Popular Democratic Front	291,796	37.8	N/A	21	15
Italian Communist Party	179,894	23.3	1.6	13	7
Italian Socialist Party	109,097	14.1	22.1	8	7
Others (civic list)	2,805	0.4	1.2	=	1
Italian Social Movement	50,454	6.5	6.5	4	4
Monarchist National Party	23,956	3.0	3.0	2	2
Total	778,452	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, May 27, 1951. Sources: La Stampa , Unimi

City Council election, 1956

The election took place on May 27, 1956.

For this election there was a different electoral law: after Alcide De Gasperi's government had retired in 1953 the 1951-electoral law based on a block voting system, the previous electoral law was restored.

Christian Democracy obtained the 30% of suffrages, while the Italian Socialist Party the 20% of the votes gaining 6% more than the 1951-election. Virgilio Ferrari was confirmed mayor by the majority of the City Council.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Christian Democracy	261,610	30.1	0.7	25	5
Italian Socialist Party	173,813	20.1	6.0	16	8
Italian Communist Party	158,818	18.3	5.0	15	2
Italian Socialist Democratic Party	103,175	11.9	2.4	10	5
Italian Liberal Party	53,501	6.3	0.1	5	1
Italian Social Movement	50,827	5.9	0.6	4	=
Monarchist National Party	35,171	4.1	1.1	3	1
Italian Republican Party	13,407	1.2	0.5	=	2
Others (civc list)	15,721	2.0	1.6	2	2
Total	866,043	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, May 27, 1956. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1960

The election took place on November 6, 1960.

This election was anticipated by the effect of a new law which ordered a new 4 years-term legislature.

Christian Democracy obtained the 29% of suffrages, while the Italian Socialist Party the 20% of the votes. Gino Cassinis (PSDI) was elected mayor by the majority of the City Council.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Christian Democracy	288,030	29.9	0.3	25	=
Italian Socialist Party	199,728	20.7	0.6	17	1
Italian Communist Party	195,521	20.3	2.0	17	2
Italian Socialist Democratic Party	101,703	10.5	1.4	8	2
Italian Liberal Party	78,488	8.4	2.2	6	1
Italian Social Movement	63,156	6.5	0.6	5	1
Monarchist National Party	24,858	2.3	1.8	2	1
Italian Republican Party	10,201	1.1	0.1	=	=
Others (civc list)	2,513	0.3	1.7	=	2
Total	964,198	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, November 6, 1960. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1964

The election took place on November 22, 1964.

Christian Democracy obtained the 24% of suffrages, while the Italian Socialist Party the 15% of the votes, losing a lot of votes and becoming the fourth party. However Pietro Bucalossi (PSDI), who succeeded Cassinis in January, was confirmed mayor by the majority of the City Council.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Christian Democracy	257,653	24.0	5.8	20	5
Italian Communist Party	236,013	21.9	1.6	18	1
Italian Liberal Party	226,895	21.1	13.0	17	11
Italian Socialist Party	171,334	15.9	4.8	13	4
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	90,790	8.4	2.1	7	1
Italian Social Movement	54,011	5.0	1.5	4	1
Italian Socialist Party of Proletarian Unity	22,022	2.0	2.0	1	1
Monarchist National Party	10,000	0.9	1.4	=	2
Others (civc list)	6,613	0.6	0.3	=	=
Total	1,075,381	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, November 22, 1964. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1970

The election took place on June 7, 1970.

This election took place after six years from the last and simultaneously with the first regional elections of Lombardy.

Christian Democracy obtained the 26% of suffrages, while the Italian Communist Party the 22% of the votes. However the socialist Aldo Aniasi was confirmed mayor by the majority of the City Council.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Christian Democracy	291,902	26.3	2.3	22	2
Italian Communist Party	254,069	22.8	0.9	19	1
Italian Socialist Party	157,200	14.1	1.8	12	1
Italian Liberal Party	123,082	11.1	10.0	9	8
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	116,202	10.4	2.0	8	1
Italian Social Movement	74,395	6.7	1.7	4	=
Italian Republican Party	53,745	4.8	4.8	4	4
Italian Socialist Party of Proletarian Unity	33,216	3.0	1.0	2	1
Monarchist National Party	8,009	0.7	0.2	=	=
Total	1,111,731	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, June 7, 1970. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1975

The election took place on June 15, 1975.

Similarly to the national vote, the Italian Communist Party became for the first time in the history the first party with the 30% of the votes. This extraordinary result led to the birth of the first red-giunta in the history of the city: the new coalition was formed by the leftist Socialist and Communist Party, while Aldo Aniasi was reconfirmed mayor by the majority of the City Council. However, in 1976 the socialist Carlo Tognoli was elected new mayor.

The fascist Italian Social Movement became the fourth party with the 7% of the votes.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Italian Communist Party	354,603	30.4	7.6	25	6
Christian Democracy	313,855	26.9	0.6	22	=
Italian Socialist Party	172,558	14.8	0.7	12	=
Italian Social Movement	84,087	7.2	0.5	6	2
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	73,889	6.3	4.1	5	3
Italian Republican Party	70,050	6.0	1.2	4	=
Italian Liberal Party	53,617	4.6	7.1	3	6
Proletarian Democracy	43,524	3.7	3.7	3	3
Total	1,166,183	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, June 15, 1975. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1980

The election took place on June 8, 1980.

For the second time the Italian Communist Party was the first party with the 26% of the votes. Carlo Tognoli was reconfirmed as mayor.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Italian Communist Party	284,329	26.5	3.9	22	3
Christian Democracy	283,428	26.4	0.5	22	=
Italian Socialist Party	210,504	19.6	4.9	16	4
Italian Social Movement	70,767	6.6	0.6	5	1
Italian Liberal Party	65,428	6.1	1.5	5	2
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	53,036	4.9	1.4	4	1
Italian Republican Party	47,522	4.4	1.6	3	1
Proletarian Democracy	29,209	2.7	1.0	2	1
Proletarian Party for the Communism	16,395	1.5	1.5	1	1
Total	1,071,883	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, June 8, 1980. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1985

The election took place on May 12, 1985.

Another time the Italian Communist Party was narrowly confirmed as the first party in the city with the 24% of the votes. Carlo Tognoli was reconfirmed for the first time as mayor but by a new center-left coalition, composed by Christian Democracy and the Italian Socialist Party.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Italian Communist Party	266,259	24.9	1.6	21	1
Christian Democracy	256,455	24.0	2.4	20	2
Italian Socialist Party	211,372	19.8	0.2	16	=
Italian Republican Party	105,796	9.9	5.5	8	5
Italian Social Movement	81,873	7.7	1.1	6	1
Italian Liberal Party	37,662	3.5	2.6	3	2
Proletarian Democracy	34,329	3.2	0.5	2	=
Italian Democratic Socialist Party	31,811	3.0	1.9	2	2
Federation of the Greens	27,533	2.6	2.6	2	2
Others	14,867	1.4	1.4	=	=
Total	1,067,957	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, May 12, 1985. Source: La Stampa

City Council election, 1990

The election took place on May 6, 1990.

Christian Democracy became the first party in the city with the 20% of the votes. The newborn regionalist party Lega Nord became the fourth party with the 13% of the votes. The socialist Paolo Pillitteri was reconfirmed as mayor.

Parties	Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-
Christian Democracy	204,954	20.7	3.3	17	4
Italian Communist Party	194,264	19.6	5.0	16	5
Italian Socialist Party	192,145	19.4	0.4	16	=
Lega Nord	128,312	13.0	13.0	11	11
Italian Republican Party	58,377	5.9	4.0	5	3
Federation of the Greens	41,986	4.2	1.6	3	1
Italian Social Movement	36,610	3.7	4.0	3	3
Others	98,985	13.4	12.0	9	9
Total	990,097	100.0	=	80	=

Sunday, May 6, 1990. Source: La Stampa

Mayoral and Council election, 1993

The election took place in two rounds: the first on 6 June and the second on 20 June 1993.

For the first time under the new electoral law citizens could vote directly the mayor; before, this choice was made by the City Council.

After gaining 11 seats in the City Council in 1990 election, for the first time the newborn separatist Lega Nord presented its own mayoral candidate: the partisan and lawyer Marco Formentini. Formentini was a former socialist, politically a left-wing, and for this reason a strong candidate in a city like Milan, historically close to leftist ideas but at the same time attracted by the new proposals of the Lega Nord party. The resentment against Rome's centralism (with the famous slogan Roma ladrona, which loosely means "Rome big thief") and the Italian government, common in northern Italy as many northerners felt that the government wasted resources collected mostly from northerners' taxes, was very strong^[1] and resentment against illegal immigrants was widespread. Finally, the Tangentopoli corruption scandals, which started right in Milan and invested most of the established parties, were unveiled from 1992 on and broke the traditional link between the city and the powerful milanese Socialist Party. Then a Lega Nord candidate in Milan was not considered a conservative also because the lombard wing and, more broadly, the bulk of the original Lega Lombarda has tended to be the left-wing of the party. More of the members of the Lega Lombarda hailed from the far-left of the political spectrum, having been active in the Italian Communist Party, il manifesto movement, the Party of Proletarian Unity, Proletarian Democracy and the Greens,^[2][3] and conceived Lega Nord as a centre-left (and, to some extent, social-democratic) political force.^[4][5]

The main opposition to Formentini was represented by Nando Dalla Chiesa, son of the general Carlo Alberto, killed by the Mafia in 1982. Dalla Chiesa was instead the candidate of a center-left coalition composed by the ex-communist Democratic Party of the Left and some other progressives party (such as the new-born Federation of the Greens and the Communist Refoundation Party).

Although Dalla Chiesa was seen as a man outside the old corrupted parties, Formentini managed to win the election on the second round gaining the support of the moderate and centrist voters of the agonizing Christian Democracy party. On 20 June 1993 Formentini won the election and became the first directly elected mayor of Milan.

Mayoral and Council election, 1997

The election took place in two rounds: the first on 27 April and the second on 11 May 1997.

The main candidates were Gabriele Albertini, supported by Silvio Berlusconi's coalition Pole of Freedoms and by some Christian-democratic parties, and Aldo Fumagalli, supported by Romano Prodi's coalition The Olive Tree.

Mayoral and Council election, 2001

The election took place on May 13, 2001.

The main candidates were the incumbent mayor Gabriele Albertini, supported by Silvio Berlusconi's center-right coalition, and Sandro Antoniazzi, supported by Francesco Rutelli's center-left coalition The Olive Tree.

Mayoral and Council election, 2006

The election took place on May 29–30, 2006.

The main candidates were the incumbent Minister of Public Education Letizia Moratti and Bruno Ferrante, supported by Romano Prodi's center-left coalition The Olive Tree.

Letizia Moratti won the election on the first round with the 52% of the votes and became the first female mayor of Milan.

Mayoral and Council election, 2011

Mayoral and Council election, 2016

References

1. ↑ Rumiz, Paolo (2001). La secessione leggera. Dove nasce la rabbia del profondo Nord. Milan: Feltrinelli. pp. 10–13. 
2. ↑ Signore, Adalberto; Trocino, Alessandro (2008). Razza padana. Milan: BUR. pp. 22–23, 57. 
3. ↑ De Lucia, Michele (2011). Dossier Bossi-Lega Nord. Milan: Kaos. p. 1. 
4. ↑ Fregonara, Gianna (8 May 1995). "Bossi riaccoglie Maroni e torna alle origini". Milan: Corriere della Sera. 
5. ↑ Ballardin, Gianfranco (28 January 1995). "Maroni: solo, ma vado al congresso". Milan: Corriere della Sera.