Politics of Apulia
# Politics of Apulia

The politics of Apulia, Italy take place in the framework of a semi-presidential representative democracy, whereby the President of the Region is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the Regional Council of Apulia, while executive power is exercised by the Regional Government led by the President, who is directly elected by the people. The current Statute, which regulates the functioning of the regional institutions, has been in force since 2004.

Prior to the rise of Fascism, most of the deputies elected in Apulia were part of the liberal establishment (see Historical Right, Historical Left and Liberals), which governed Italy for decades. At the 1924 general election, which opened the way to the Fascist authoritarian rule, Apulia was one of the regions where the National Fascist Party (PNF) obtained more than 50% of the vote.

After World War II, Apulia became a stronghold of the Christian Democracy (DC), which was especially strong in rural areas. The region is now considered a stronghold of the "centre-left coalition" led by the Democratic Party (PD), having been governed by such alliance since 2005.

Between 2005 and 2015 the region was headed by Nichi Vendola, the first openly LGBT heads of a regional government in Italy.

## Legislative branch

The Regional Council of Apulia (Consiglio Regionale della Puglia) is composed of 51 members, 50 councillors and the President. 23 councillors are elected in provincial constituencies by proportional representation using the largest remainder method with a Droop quota and open lists, while 27 councillors (elected in a general ticket) come from a "regional list", including the President-elect. One seat is reserved for the candidate who comes second.

The Council is elected for a five-year term, but, if the President suffers a vote of no confidence, resigns or dies, under the simul stabunt, simul cadent clause introduced in 1999 (literally they will stand together or they will fall together), also the Council is dissolved and a snap election is called.

### 2020–2025 composition

| Party | Seats | Status |
| - | - | - |
| Democratic Party | 15 / 51 | In government |
| Brothers of Italy | 6 / 51 | In opposition |
| With Emiliano | 5 / 51 | In government |
| Five Star Movement | 5 / 51 | In government |
| Forza Italia | 4 / 51 | In opposition |
| League | 4 / 51 | In opposition |
| For Apulia | 3 / 51 | In government |
| Action | 3 / 51 | In opposition |
| Populars with Emiliano | 2 / 51 | In government |
| Apulia Tomorrow | 2 / 51 | In opposition |
| Mixed group | 2 / 51 | — |

## Executive branch

The Regional Government (Giunta Regionale) is presided by the President of the Region (Presidente della Regione), who is elected for a five-year term, and is currently composed by 10 members: the President and 9 regional ministers or assessors (Assessori), including a Vice President (Vice Presidente).

### Current composition

The current Regional Government was sworn in on 24 November 2020.

| Party | | Members |
| - | - | - |
| Democratic Party | PD | President and 3 ministers |
| With Emiliano | CE | 2 ministers |
| Populars with Emiliano | PcE | 1 minister |
| Italian Left | SI | 1 minister |
| Five Star Movement | M5S | 1 minister |
| Independent | Ind | 1 minister |
| Minister | Party | Delegate for |
| Raffaele Piemontese (vice president) | PD | Finance and budget, infrastructures |
| Anna Maurodinoia | PD | Transports and sustainable mobility |
| Donato Pentassuglia | PD | Agriculture, food processing, hunt and fishing, woods |
| Alessandro Delli Noci | CE | Economic development |
| Gianfranco Lopane | CE | Tourism |
| Rocco Palese | Ind | Healthcare |
| Anna Grazia Maraschino | SI | Environment, circular economy, housing |
| Sebastiano Leo | PcE | Education and labour, universities |
| Rosa Barone | M5S | Welfare and social policies |

### List of presidents

The current President of Apulia is Michele Emiliano, who is serving his second term after winning the 2020 regional election.

**Presidents elected by the Regional Council (1970–1995)**

| N. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Legislature |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Gennaro Trisorio Liuzzi | 8 June 1970 | 16 June 1975 | DC | I (1970) |
| 2 | Nicola Rotolo | 16 June 1975 | 23 December 1978 | DC | II (1975) |
| 3 | Nicola Quarta | 23 December 1978 | 9 June 1980 | DC | II (1975) |
| 3 | Nicola Quarta | 9 June 1980 | 4 July 1983 | DC | III (1980) |
| 4 | Angelo Monfredi | 4 July 1983 | 23 September 1983 | DC | III (1980) |
| (1) | Gennaro Trisorio Liuzzi | 23 September 1983 | 13 May 1985 | DC | III (1980) |
| 5 | Salvatore Fitto | 13 May 1985 | 29 August 1988 | DC | IV (1985) |
| 6 | Franco Borgia | 29 August 1988 | 23 November 1988 | PSI | IV (1985) |
| 7 | Giuseppe Colasanto | 23 November 1988 | 6 May 1990 | DC | IV (1985) |
| 8 | Michele Bellomo | 6 May 1990 | 23 October 1992 | DC | V (1990) |
| 9 | Cosimo Convertino | 23 October 1992 | 4 December 1992 | PSI | V (1990) |
| 10 | Giovanni Copertino | 4 December 1992 | 3 September 1993 | DC | V (1990) |
| 11 | Vito Savino | 3 September 1993 | 1 March 1994 | DC | V (1990) |
| 12 | Giuseppe Martellotta | 1 March 1994 | 27 June 1995 | PPI | V (1990) |

**Directly-elected presidents (since 1995)**

| N. | President | Term of office | Term of office | Tenure (Years and days) | Party | Composition | Legislature |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 13 | Salvatore Distaso (1937–2008) | 27 June 1995 | 19 May 2000 | 4 years, 327 days | FI | FI–AN–CDC | VI (1995) |
| 14 | Raffaele Fitto (b. 1969) | 19 May 2000 | 27 April 2005 | 4 years, 343 days | FI | FI–AN–CDC–CDU | VII (2000) |
| 15 | Nichi Vendola (b. 1958) | 27 April 2005 | 26 April 2010 | 10 years, 60 days | PRC / SEL | DS–DL–PRC–SDI– UDEUR–PdCI−IdV–FdV | VIII (2005) |
| 15 | Nichi Vendola (b. 1958) | 26 April 2010 | 26 June 2015 | 10 years, 60 days | PRC / SEL | PD–SEL–IdV | IX (2010) |
| 16 | Michele Emiliano (b. 1959) | 26 June 2015 | 24 November 2020 | 8 years, 31 days | PD | PD–SEL–IdV–SC–UdC | X (2015) |
| 16 | Michele Emiliano (b. 1959) | 24 November 2020 | Incumbent | 8 years, 31 days | PD | PD–CE–PcE–M5S | XI (2020) |

## Local government

### Provinces and Metropolitan City

Apulia is divided into five provinces and one metropolitan city.

After the 2014 reform of local authorities the Province of Bari was replaced by the new Metropolitan City of Bari. Since 2014 the president of the province is no more elected directly by citizens, but is chosen by mayors and councilors of the municipalities of the province.

| Province / Metropolitan City | Inhabitants | President | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Metropolitan City of Bari | 1,261,954 | Antonio Decaro (metropolitan mayor) | Democratic Party | 2015 |
| Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani | 384,293 | Bernardo Lodispoto | Independent (Democratic Party) | 2019 |
| Province of Brindisi | 401,652 | Toni Matarelli | Independent (Democratic Party) | 2022 |
| Province of Foggia | 627,102 | Giuseppe Nobiletti | Independent (Democratic Party) | 2023 |
| Province of Lecce | 802,807 | Stefano Minerva | Democratic Party | 2018 |
| Province of Taranto | 581,092 | Rinaldo Melucci | Democratic Party | 2022 |

### Municipalities

Apulia is also divided into 258 comuni (municipalities), which have even more history, having been established in the Middle Ages when they were the main places of government. There are eight provincial capital cities in Apulia, as the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani is the only province in Italy with three capital cities.

There are 258 communes in Apulia (as of January 2019):

* 41 in the Metropolitan City of Bari
* 10 in the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani
* 20 in the Province of Brindisi
* 61 in the Province of Foggia
* 97 in the Province of Lecce
* 29 in the Province of Taranto

**Provincial capitals**

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Andria | 100,357 | Giovanna Bruno | Democratic Party | 2020 |
| Bari | 311,997 | Antonio Decaro | Democratic Party | 2019 |
| Barletta | 94,664 | Cosimo Cannito | Independent | 2022 |
| Brindisi | 88,482 | Giuseppe Marchionna | Independent | 2023 |
| Foggia | 152,700 | Vincenzo Cardellicchio | Special Commissioner | (2023) |
| Lecce | 89,902 | Carlo Salvemini | Independent | 2019 |
| Taranto | 198,083 | Rinaldo Melucci | Democratic Party | 2017 |
| Trani | 55,808 | Amedeo Bottaro | Democratic Party | 2020 |

**Other municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants**

| Municipality | Inhabitants | Mayor | Party | Election |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Altamura | 70,789 | Vitantonio Petronella | Independent | 2023 |
| Molfetta | 60,272 | Tommaso Minervini | Democratic Party | 2022 |
| Cerignola | 57,007 | Francesco Bonito | Democratic Party | 2021 |
| Manfredonia | 56,318 | Giovanni Rotice | Forza Italia | 2021 |
| Bitonto | 56,304 | Francesco Paolo Ricci | Democratic Party | 2022 |
| San Severo | 55,297 | Francesco Miglio | Democratic Party | 2019 |
| Bisceglie | 54,847 | Angelantonio Angarano | Independent | 2023 |

## Parties and elections

### Latest regional election

In the latest regional election, which took place on 20–21 September 2020, Michele Emiliano of the Democratic Party was re-elected President with 46.8% of the vote.

20–21 September 2020 Apulian regional election results :

| Candidates | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats | Parties | Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Democratic Party | 289,188 | 17.25 | 16 |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | With Emiliano | 110,559 | 6.59 | 6 |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Populars with Emiliano | 99,621 | 5.94 | 5 |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Civic Sense – A New Olive Tree for Apulia | 69,780 | 4.16 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Italia in Comune | 64,886 | 3.87 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Solidary and Green Apulia | 63,725 | 3.80 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Emiliano Mayor of Apulia | 43,404 | 2.59 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Animalist Party | 5,573 | 0.33 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Alternative Left | 4,192 | 0.25 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Pensioners and Disabled | 3,119 | 0.19 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Party of the South | 1,410 | 0.08 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Thought and Action Party | 1,243 | 0.07 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Independent South | 1,179 | 0.07 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Christian Democracy | 1,047 | 0.06 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | | Open Society Association – The Liberals | 806 | 0.05 | – |
| | Michele Emiliano | 871,028 | 46.78 | 1 | Total | Total | 759,732 | 45.32 | 27 |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | | Brothers of Italy | 211,693 | 12.63 | 6 |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | | League | 160,507 | 9.57 | 4 |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | | Forza Italia | 149,399 | 8.91 | 4 |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | | Apulia Tomorrow | 141,201 | 8.42 | 3 |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | | Union of the Centre – New PSI | 31,736 | 1.89 | – |
| | Raffaele Fitto | 724,928 | 38.93 | 1 | Total | Total | 694,536 | 41.43 | 17 |
| | Antonella Laricchia | 207,038 | 11.12 | – | | Five Star Movement | 165,243 | 9.86 | 5 |
| | Antonella Laricchia | 207,038 | 11.12 | – | | Future Apulia | 9,897 | 0.59 | – |
| | Antonella Laricchia | 207,038 | 11.12 | – | Total | Total | 175,140 | 10.45 | 5 |
| | Ivan Scalfarotto | 29,808 | 1.60 | – | | Italia Viva | 18,025 | 1.08 | – |
| | Ivan Scalfarotto | 29,808 | 1.60 | – | | Scalfarotto for President | 5,062 | 0.30 | – |
| | Ivan Scalfarotto | 29,808 | 1.60 | – | | Green Future | 1,888 | 0.11 | – |
| | Ivan Scalfarotto | 29,808 | 1.60 | – | Total | Total | 24,975 | 1.49 | – |
| | Mario Conca | 16,531 | 0.89 | – | | Apulian Citizens | 12,162 | 0.73 | – |
| | Nicola Cesaria | 7,222 | 0.39 | – | | Work Environment Constitution | 5,880 | 0.35 | – |
| | Pierfranco Bruni | 3,115 | 0.17 | – | | Tricolour Flame | 2,362 | 0.14 | – |
| | Andrea D'Agosto | 2,353 | 0.13 | – | | Reconquer Italy | 1,712 | 0.10 | – |
| Blank and invalid votes | Blank and invalid votes | 149,658 | 7.44 | | | | | | |
| Total candidates | Total candidates | 1,862,023 | 100.00 | 2 | Total parties | Total parties | 1,676,499 | 100.00 | 49 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 3,565,013 | 56.43 | | | | | | |
| Source: Ministry of the Interior – Results Archived 2020-09-23 at the Wayback Machine ||||||||||
