Abstract

The essay presents the results of a study on the nine provincial capitals which, in 1993, were the first to experiment with the new electoral law, and which in 1997 renewed their mayors and councils. The sample of communes was chosen from those in which candidates stood for election as representatives of two radically different parties - the Northern League and the Democratic Party of the Left - in order to provide a detailed picture of urban realities and geopolitical contexts. The study analyses the characteristics of the protagonists of the 1993 elections and the ways in which the parties responded to an acute political crisis. The analysis concentrates on three aspects in particular for the purpose of assessing the functioning and effectiveness of the new electoral law: (a) the selection of the candidates for mayor who were elected, and the conduct of their campaigns; (b) the relationship established between the mayor and the members of the council; (c) the relationship established between the executive as a whole and the groups forming the majority in the council.