Democratic elections have been held in Naples, Italy, since the collapse of Benito Mussolini's fascist regime. Today, all residents of Naples who are at least 18 years old and hold an EU citizenship are eligible to vote for the mayor and the 48 members of the city council.[1] They also vote for the president and the 30 or 40 members of the municipal council in which they reside.[citation needed]
Since 1993, Italian mayors are elected directly. In the cities with a population higher than 15,000, voters can choose for a candidate for mayor and/or for a party or civic list that is not necessarily linked to the same mayor-candidate (panachage or voto disgiunto). If no candidate receives an absolute majority, the top two candidates go to a runoff election (ballottaggio) after two weeks. The city council and municipal council elections are based on a proportional system with preferences: for each list, the candidates with the most preferences are elected proportionally to the seats assigned to the list, with the lists supporting the elected mayor being granted around 60% of the total seats to guarantee stability.
Elections are normally scheduled every five years, usually between 15 April and 15 June. The last election was held in June 2016.