Italy’s most popular city mayors

Far from the fashion capital of Milan and the tourist hub of Rome, sits Italy’s most popular city mayor.

Michele Emiliano, mayor of the southern city of Bari, is most “appreciated” by residents, according to figures published earlier this week by ANSA news agency.

The title does not come easily, with Emiliano presiding over a city with one of Italy’s lowest quality of life rankings.

In second place comes Turin Mayor Piero Fassino, who arguably has an easier job in Italy’s former capital, while third place goes to Giuliano Pisapia in Milan.

The politicians filling the top eight spots are an eclectic mix, with an anti-mafia magistrate, a surgeon and a historian amongst them.

The cities they manage are equally diverse, with the mayor of Italy’s “City of Water” trailing behind the leaders of a student hub and a port city in the popularity stakes.

Florence fails to feature at all; the city’s mayor former mayor, Matteo Renzi, was so successful he was promoted to prime minister last month, leaving the Tuscan capital without its beloved leader.

IN PICTURES: Italy’s most popular city mayors 

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