The politics of Apulia, a region of Italy, takes place in the framework of an "anomalous presidential" representative democracy or prime-ministerial system with an executive presidency, 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.Piergiorgio Corbetta; Maria Serena Piretti, Atlante storico-elettorale d'Italia, Zanichelli, Bologna 2009
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 LGBTQ head of a regional government in Italy.
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.
PartyMembersDemocratic PartyPDPresident and 3 ministersWith EmilianoCE2 ministersPopulars with EmilianoPcE1 ministerItalian LeftSI1 ministerFive Star MovementM5S1 ministerIndependent Ind1 minister Minister Party Delegate for Raffaele Piemontese(vice president) PD Finance and budget, infrastructures Debora Ciliento 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.
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.La Repubblica – Regional electoral law
Current composition
Local government
Provinces
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 Vito Leccese(metropolitan mayor)PD2024 Barletta-Andria-Trani 384,293 Bernardo Lodispoto PD2023 Brindisi 401,652 Elio Ciccarese PD 2026 Foggia 627,102 Giuseppe NobilettiPD2023 Lecce 802,807 Fabio TarantinoInd.2026 Taranto 581,092 Gianfranco PalmisanoPD2025
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 Andria100,357 Giovanna BrunoPD2020 Bari311,997 Vito LeccesePD2024 Barletta94,664 Cosimo CannitoInd. 2022 Brindisi88,482 Giuseppe MarchionnaInd. 2023 Foggia152,700 Maria Aida EpiscopoInd. 2023 Lecce89,902 Adriana Poli BortoneInd. 2024 Taranto198,083 Piero BitettiPD2025 Trani55,808 Amedeo BottaroPD2020
Other municipalities Cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. Municipality Inhabitants Mayor Party Election Altamura70,789 Vitantonio PetronellaInd. 2023 Molfetta60,272 Tommaso MinerviniPD2022 Cerignola57,007 Francesco BonitoPD2021 Manfredonia56,318 Giovanni RoticeFI2021 Bitonto56,304Francesco Paolo RicciPD2022 San Severo55,297 Francesco MiglioPD2019Bisceglie54,847 Angelantonio AngaranoInd.2023
Parties and elections
Latest regional election
In the latest regional election, which took place on 23–24 November 2025, Antonio Decaro of the Democratic Party was elected President by a landslide 64.0% of the vote.
References
External links Apulia Region Regional Council of Apulia Constitution of Apulia