The Mayor of Florence is an elected politician who, along with Florence's City Council of 36 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Florence. The title is the equivalent of Lord Mayor in the meaning of an actual executive leader. The office of Gonfaloniere was created in 1781 by Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany. It was replaced by the office of Mayor in 1865, during the early Kingdom of Italy. The current mayor of Florence is Dario Nardella, a left-wing musician member of the Democratic Party. Overview According to the Italian Constitution, the Mayor of Florence is member of the Florence's City Council. Although the title Mayor is not held by the heads of the five boroughs of Florence, because they do not actually preside over self-governmental municipalities. The Mayor is elected by the population of Florence. Citizens elect also the members of the City Council, which also controls 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 1995 the Mayor is elected directly by Florence'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. The seat of the City Council is the city hall Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria. List of Mayor of Florence (1781–present) Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1781–1859) In 1781 was created the office of Annual Gonfaloniere of Florence who was appointed by the Grand Duke of Tuscany every year. 1781–1783 – Giuseppe Maria Panzanini 1783–1784 – Francesco Catellini da Castiglione 1784–1785 – Giovan Giorgio Ugolini 1785–1786 – Maldonato Amadio d'Alma 1786–1787 – Alberto Rimbotti 1787–1788 – Giuseppe Baldovinetti di Poggio 1788–1789 – Giuseppe Arnaldi 1789–1790 – Alberto Rimbotti 1790–1791 – Miniato Miniati 1791–1792 – Pietro Baldigiani 1792–1793 – Ferdinando de' Bardi 1793–1794 – Pietro Soderini 1794–1795 – Antonio da Castiglione 1795–1796 – Francesco Passerini