The Mayor of Madrid presides over the Madrid City Council, the government body of the capital city of Spain. The mayor has the duty of boosting the local policies, it directs the action of the other executive bodies, leads the Local Executive Administration and is accountable to the Plenary for its political management. As head of government, the mayor leads the Government Board and appoints its members. The mayor is also entrusted with chairing the Plenary meetings, although this responsibility can be delegated to another councilmember. The office of mayor has a local nature and must not be confused with the President of the Community of Madrid, the leader of the regional government. History Initially Mayors of Madrid had the office of 'Corregidor' when first instituted in the Kingdom of Castile by Henry III in 1393 and later formalized by the Catholic Monarchs–Ferdinand II and Isabella I–in 1480. The Mayor of Madrid reported directly to the President of the Council of the Kingdom of Castile, and had jurisdiction over all parts of the district of Madrid, which included not only the town but also 36 neighbouring villages,. In 1746 Ferdinand VI of Spain abolished the office, appointing a political and military governor in place, but the following year reversed this reform. With 1833 territorial division of Spain the office of Corregidor was replaced by the office of Mayor, has continued to the present except for two periods: during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera (1920-1930) and after the Second Spanish Republic, which suspended municipalities in Spain (1934-1936), when local governments a management committees created for this purpose. The mayor of Madrid, as well as Barcelona, is entitled to enjoy privileges of the third political rank. Duties and powers The mayor has the responsibility to lead the local government and the local administration; represent the City Council; convene and preside over the sessions of the Plenary; manage, inspectorate and boost the local services and public works; dictate regulations; execute the local budget; head the civil service and hire, fire or sanction the personnel at its service; head the Madrid Police; lead the urban planning; exercise all judicial actions to defend the interests of the city; and adopt all necessary measures in case of catastrophe. Election The election system of mayors is common to all the country. The citizens vote for the local assemblies or councils on the basis of universal suffrage,